January, 2010
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Thursday, January 28th, 2010
Stinky Weasel
1 oz. 1800 Tequila
1 oz. Bacardi 151 rum
1 oz. lemon juice
1 dash sugar
Put the tequila into the shot glass. Add the 151 rum and then the lemon juice. Add the dash of sugar last and stir it slightly with a toothpick.
Whenever we have a new recipe to sample that isn’t really well known like Jagerbombs and Buttery Nipples are, the first question posed around the discussion table is whether anyone on the taste team is familiar with the shot or has tried it before. Not exactly a earth shattering revelation on how we operate.
Today when that question was asked about the Stinky Weasel, everyone said that they hadn’t ever tried the proposed shooter. However, one of the more attractive females on our panel joked that while she hasn’t ever drank a stinky weasel, she’s been up close and personal with a few. That was a ballsy enough statement to make as it was. Literally. But then one of the (self percieved) witty guys at the table replied,
“Well, that’s what happens when you shack up with homeless dudes every weekend.”
Not the most intelligent thing to say to a woman under any circumstances. Dipshit.
Once order was restored and the office furniture back in place, we could get back to the business of alcohol. So we turned our attention back to the Stinky Weasel. The shot, that is.
This isn’t one of the more elaborate shots we have tried lately, but not all of them can employ fine French liqueurs or five ingredients at a time. This one calls for specifics and is rather cut-and-dried. You combine powerful components like 1800 Tequila and Bacardi 151 and temper it just a bit with the lemon juice and a pinch of sugar. That’s it. Plain and simple.
I’m not sure how the name applies to be honest with you. But as we’ve learned over the first 90 recipes or so, the name is not always a direct hit for the shooter.
This shot wasn’t near the worst we have tried at ShareMyShot, but it was nowhere near the quality of some of the recent shooters we have sampled. The tequila dominated the taste of the shot. And with the lemon juice being equal part to any of the other components, that sour substance made its presence known as well. Tequila often gives one a rather bitter, sourpuss expression on the faces of those who are not big fans. And the influence of the lemon juice exaggerated that effect. There were some funny-ass faces at today’s session….lemme tell ya.
The taste of the rum seemed to get a little bit lost in the mix, although the kick that 151 proof rum provides was still very evident.
Some team members stopped at three rounds and others “manned up” to do a fourth. Those that tried four rounds felt the punch of the two main liquor ingredients. But as a group, overall we could only reward this shot with a 2 on a scale of 5. The creativity level was low, the taste was so-so, and we did give it points for its power. And in the end, that added up to a 2 out of 5.
Perhaps the greatest lesson to come out of today’s recipe is that when a woman tries to make a joke about her experience with stinky weasels, just give her the laugh and move on. Don’t try to be cute with some half-assed response. It just isn’t worth it.
Cheers !!
Posted in 2 Star Shots, Bacardi 151, Jose Cuervo gold, Patron, Patron Silver tequila, Sauza tequila, Tequila 1800, fruit juices, hangover remedies, lemon, lemon juice, rum, sugar, tequila | No Responses »
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 »
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
Dirty Bong Water
1/2 oz. Chambord raspberry liqueur
1/2 oz. Blue Curacao liqueur
1/2 oz. Amaretto almond liqueur
1/2 oz. Captain Morgan spiced rum
1/2 oz. Mr and Mrs T Sweet and Sour mix
Pour ingredients in a cocktail mixer with ice. Shake gently and pour into a large shot glass. Enjoy !
Today’s recipe for Dirty Bong Water is one of those that can be served as a shot or a full-fledged drink. If you wanted to double the ingredients, or multiple them by 1.5, you can simply pour it into an old fashioned glass on the rocks and enjoy it as a regular drink. But as in many cocktails, you can also fraction the ingredients and create a shooter as we have done for today’s formula.
Usually when one thinks of dirty bong water, the image is not too appealing. Back in high school when we were passing around a bingo, sometimes there was one guy who would pull the slider (the bowl part) to clear the tube and inhale a bit too hard—–pulling a nasty dose of dirty bong water into his mouth and onto his lips. For the rest of us, it was pretty damn funny. But if you were ever on the receiving end of that vile splash of resinated water, it wasn’t too comical.
And God help you if someone knocked the bong over and the water poured out on your mother’s carpet. The stink was terrible and the stain didn’t come out all that easy.
But as if often the case, original uneasiness was tamed a bit when we were given the ingredients. Since starting at ShareMyShot, I can’t recall having a terrible experience with any shot involving Chambord raspberry liqueur. And when I’m not doing shots, I drink Captain Morgan rum like they’re about to pull it off the market or something. Of course, I wasn’t sure how well the two would go together. I know that we combined Chambord and amaretto in the recipe for the Dirty Diaper, which earned a 4 on our rating scale. So those two elements are a solid pairing.
Anyway, we had all of the ingredients on hand and got down to business. It turns out that the four main ingredients worked well together and the whole mixture was balanced nicely by the sweet and sour mix. Blue Curacao has a slight orangish taste, but can be a tad bitter for some people. And sweet and sour mix has a lemon, lime, and sugar base that is sweet in one regard and can be slightly tart at the same time. These ingredients, with their almost contradictory personalities, were complemented nicely by the Chambord raspberry liqueur. The rum and the amaretto did not interfere with the fruity aspect of the other libations. At least not in any foul, negative way. They were present, but did not dominate.
ShareMyShot gives this soothing shooter a 4 on a scale of 5. It would be a wonderful shot to throw down after enjoying a spliff (or a good cigar for those who don’t partake). Sort of a chaser after a fine smoke, if you will. It is tasty and somewhat fruity with a pleasant, lingering aftertaste.
And probably not as many calories as scarfing down a whole bag of potato chips or a box of Mac n’ Cheese to cure those munchies.
Cheers !!
Posted in 4 Star Shots, Amaretto almond liqueur, Baja Luna black raspberry liqueur, Blue Curacao liqueur, Captain Morgan Spiced Rum, Chambord raspberry liqueur, Di Amore black raspberry liqueur, Lazzaroni Amaretto, Mr and Mrs T Sweet and Sour Mix, Sweet and Sour Mix, black raspberry liqueur, comfort shots, flavored liqueurs, liqueurs, rum, tropical fruit shots | No Responses »
Monday, January 25th, 2010
Cowboy Up
1 oz. Crown Royal Canadian whisky
1/2 oz. Absolut Peppar vodka
3/4 oz. Firewater cinnamon schnapps
3/4 oz. DeKuyper vanilla schnapps
1 oz. Hpnotiq liqueur
Shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into large shot glass. Enjoy !
I was turned on to this recipe by a friend of mine over the weekend. While not currently behind a bar, he has done some bartending in the past. But we were watching a stand-up routine by Arte Lange; the comedian who has been a regular on the Howard Stern radio show. He was doing a bit on the movie Brokeback Mountain about a couple of gay cowboys. And his punch line was that ” Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhal are NOT gay cowboys. “
” Tony Romo……now there’s a gay Cowboy ! ”
As avid football fans who hate the Dallas Cowboys, the joke drew a chuckle from me and my friend. And a few minutes later, he asked if I had ever tried the Cowboy Up shot ? I replied that I hadn’t, but was perfectly willing to try. Unfortunately, he didn’t have any Hpnotiq in his house. Nor Absolut Peppar. Nor DeKuyper vanilla schnapps.
Hey ! I said he was an avid football fan and an out-of-work bartender…….not a liqueur connoisseur ! He did have some Crown Royal on-hand, so we settled for a couple of those on the rocks.
But I brought the recipe into the office and the team was totally up for giving the recipe a sampling. We didn’t have any Hpnotiq on-hand either. It is a rather expensive liqueur. So we sent office lackey Keith down to the liquor store once again to procure a bottle of this fine libation. Hpnotiq is a liqueur made from vodka, cognac, and tropical fruit juices. It has only been around for about 9 or 10 years. But it is a very fine tasting drink and quite popular on the club scene.
The rest of the ingredients were in the corporate liquor cabinet, so with the addition of the fresh bottle of Hpnotiq, we were ready to Cowboy Up. We had the part-time bartender that performs other duties here at ShareMyShot mix the shooters for us. The drink has a nice combination of fixings and we wanted to make sure it was prepared correctly. The shot sounded like it had a lot of potential.
The taste team’s opinions on the shot were rather divided. I thought it was pretty good overall, but I could definately see the point that others made that the shooter was just a bit too busy. It was hard to distinguish a number of the ingredients. The cinnamon schnapps was noticeable as was the Hpnotiq. But the vodka and even the Royal Crown elements were a bit muted. And there was the slightest suggestion of the vanilla schnapps, but it took two or three rounds to conclude we did indeed taste a trace of that component.
ShareMyShot gives this rootin’ tootin’ shooter a 3 on a scale of 5. It did pack a punch after we sampled four rounds. Any more and we would have reached a higher “buzz” plateau. And it is a creative and eclectic array of ingredients. But overall, it didn’t quite measure up to the more delicious and elite shots we have awarded higher grades to. As more than one team member said, ” It’s not bad at all. But it’s just too busy. I can’t really tell what part I like and what part I’m not even tasting. “
So if you have a bottle of Hpnotiq behind the bar, feel free to rustle up one of these shots. But if you don’t, just settle for a Crown Royal on the rocks.
Cheers !!
Posted in 3 Star Shots, Absolut, Absolut Peppar, Absolut flavored vodkas, Aftershock cinnamon schnapps, Canadian whisky, Crown Royal, DeKuyper vanilla schnapps, Firewater cinnamon schnapps, Hpnotiq, cinnamon schnapps, flavored liqueurs, flavored schnapps, liqueurs, schnapps, vanilla schnapps, vodka, whiskey | No Responses »
Thursday, January 21st, 2010
ABC
1 oz. Amaretto almond liqueur
1 oz. Bailey’s Irish cream
1 oz. Courvoisier cognac
Layer the ingredients in ABC order in a large shot glass. Enjoy!
Folks, it doesn’t get much easier than this. We shouldn’t have to tell anyone where this shot derives its name from…..but since you’re drinkers, we will anyway. Quite obviously, the three ingredients start with the first three letters of the alphabet. And per the instructions, you pour them into your shot glass in alphabetical order. It’s all part of the fun of doing the ABC shot.
We actually have been sitting on this recipe for some time. Not for any special occasion, although we were tempted to post this one when the King of Pop Michael Jackson died. It would have been meant as a tribute. You know……per the song he did with his brothers. But we didn’t want to stir up anyone’s ire at the time either. So we just decided to stash it away for another day. And today is that day.
While we strongly encourage you to adhere to the recipe just as it is for the sake of a true ABC, we will pass along this one little ” cheat ” tip. If you absolutely have to, we suppose you could go with a different brand of cognac other than Courvoisier. While that is one fine brand of cognac—made all the more popular by Tim Meadows as ” The Ladies Man ” on the old Saturday Night Live gig, we will concede that the word cognac itself starts with the letter C. So if you have a bottle of Remy Martin, Martell, or Hennessy behind your bar already, we guess you can go with one of those and still call it an ABC.
But if you like Courvoisier and have a bottle in your stash, you should use this brand and you definately can consider yourself a Ladies Man ! A Ladies Man drinking a true ABC shot.
Amaretto and Bailey’s is a rather popular combination as it is. And adding in a little cognac actually turned out to be a very nice touch. Cognac is the most popular/famous variety of brandy. It traces its origins to the town of Cognac in France. But if you want to get down to brass tacks, this is a nice triple threat of amaretto, Bailey’s, and fine brandy.
It had a warm and inviting taste and went down very smooth. The women on the team gave this shooter more kudos than the men did. And the men seemed to have a fine appreciation for the drink. After all, none of us didn’t want to NOT be viewed as a true Ladies Man. Especially not in front of the females present in the tasting chamber. But it had a bold, rich flavor that was soothing on the throat and the palate.
ShareMyShot gives this scholarly shot a 4 on a scale of 5. While the ingredients are not the most creative trifecta we’ve seen, they work very well together and taste pretty damn good. And we’re sure that if you drink enough of these alpha shooters, you and your fine lady will catch a nice little “cuddle buzz”. But we couldn’t give it our highest score as it just wasn’t quite on that most elite level.
But it is definately another one of those shots for in front of the fireplace with your special someone.
Cheers !!
Posted in 4 Star Shots, Amaretto almond liqueur, Bailey's Irish Cream, Courvoisier cognac, Disaronno Originale, Hennessy cognac, Lazzaroni Amaretto, Martell cognac, Remy Martin cognac, brandy, cognac, comfort shots, dessert shots, flavored liqueurs, liqueurs | No Responses »
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
Coup de Gras (or Coup de Grace)
1 oz. Skyy vodka
1 oz. White Godiva chocolate cream liqueur
1 oz. Dr McGillicuddy’s peppermint schnapps
Pour all three ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and give it a few gentle shakes. Just enough to create the slightest froth. Pour it in the shot glass. Enjoy !
The exact translation of the term coup de grace is ” blow of mercy “. It specifically means delivering a death blow intended to end the suffering of a wounded animal or creature. However the phrase can extend to include friends or enemies (as in battle)—given with or without their permission. In more everyday language, it is often used figuratively to describe the last of a series of events; to bring about the end of something. Some cooks refer to adding the final ingredient of a delicious dish as the coup de grace. Or a waiter may use the phrase in reciting a meal of many courses. But the real definition is to carry out the blow of mercy to put something or someone out of their misery.
Pretty serious shit, huh?
So when we heard about this recipe and the origin of the phrase from research and development, a couple of taste team members squirmed in their seats a little bit. Then we were told the ingredients.
Reluctance and fear soon turned to anticipation and thirst. This Coup de Grace sounded pretty damn good !
The combination of chocolate liqueur and peppermint schnapps conjured up visions of a spoonful of chocolate mint ice cream or a candy bar. And the vodka didn’t sound intimidating; it sounded like the power punch complementing the dessert imagery.
Before we get to the taste and the grade this shooter earned, let’s quickly address the ingredients. There is only one deviation we will approve of when it comes to both the chocolate liqueur and the peppermint schnapps. You want the chocolate liqueur to be creamy and top shelf. White Godiva is an outstanding brand and you should try and stick with that label. However, we have used Vermeer Dutch Chocolate Cream liqueur in prior recipes and that is also a terrific brand. So if you have Vermeer behind your bar already and don’t want to buy a special bottle of White Godiva, then we approve of it as a suitable substitute. But if you have neither and need to buy one or the other, then purchase the White Godiva per the recipe.
And when it comes to the peppermint schnapps, the only substitute for Dr McGillicuddy’s that earns our approval is Rumple Minze. You want the peppermint schnapps to be powerful in both its taste and its kick. Don’t go with a cheap peppermint schnapps on this one.
Finally, you can use any really good vodka that you like. Go with Skyy, Absolut, Ketel One, Thor’s Hammer, or Grey Goose. Any of those labels will suffice here.
The shot was magnificent. The taste team loved it and had 5 rounds before we pushed ourselves away from the table. The combination of a strong peppermint schnapps and the chocolate cream liqueur was as good as anticipated. The vodka and the schnapps combined to pack enough of a wallop to give us a slight buzz after the fifth round. Which is why we called it quits there. We’re a taste test team doing scientific research….not trying to get shit faced.
ShareMyShot gives this mercyful shooter a 5 on a scale of 5. It had a chilled creaminess that almost resembled a York Peppermint Patty. It combined a few delicous ingredients and could qualify as a dessert shot. But it still had enough of a kick to earn our highest mark.
If this is a “mercy blow” designed to put me out of my misery, well then thank you sir…..may I have another?
Cheers !!
Posted in 5 Star Shots, Absolut, Dr McGillicuddys peppermint schnapps, Godiva Chocolate Cream Liqueur, Grey Goose Vodka, Ketel One vodka, Lady Godiva chocolate liqueur, Rumple Minze, Skyy vodka, Thor's Hammer Vodka, Vermeer Dutch Chocolate Cream Liqueur, chocolate cream liqueur, comfort shots, dessert shots, flavored liqueurs, flavored schnapps, liqueurs, peppermint schnapps, schnapps, vodka | No Responses »
Tuesday, January 19th, 2010
Absolut Suicide
1/4 oz. DeKuyper Sour Apple Pucker schnapps
1/4 oz. DeKuyper Watermelon Pucker schnapps
1/4 oz. DeKuyper Island Blue Pucker schnapps
1/4 oz. Absolut vodka
Chill each ingredient. Pour into a shot glass in equal parts, and serve.
There’s a ton of shots out there that incorporate the brand name Absolut into their monikers because, as any moron could deduce, they have an Absolut component to them. In the past, we shared the Absolut Train Wreck with you. It put three blends of Absolut vodka to work. I actually get a kick out of this one simply because it too has such a dangerous sounding name. And then only 25% of the shot is comprised of Absolut vodka—to the tune of 1/4 fluid ounces. I’m thinking this should have a more lovey-dovey name like Pucker Up or something. But today we are “proud” to share the recipe for Absolut Suicide.
Once again, we’ll see if the shooter lives up to its deadly designation. Often times, we are disappointed, as in the case of the Panty Dropper.
Anyone who enjoys throwing down shots and shooters should be pretty familiar with the Pucker family of flavors from DeKuyper. While often viewed as weak schnapps by tough-guy men and sometimes even women, I will admit that there are one or two flavors that are pretty tolerable. I myself can put up with the watermelon mix. To me, it tastes like a liquid watermelon jolly rancher hard candy. Now when the Pucker line was first introduced and Apple Pucker was a short fad, you often heard the same thing. As Colonel Potter used to say on MASH…..”Mule muffins ! ”
But I like the watermelon in small doses and the other members of the taste team could all identify at least one flavor that they find tolerable every now and again.
The Absolut Suicide shot employs three Pucker flavors from the family: Sour Apple, Watermelon, and Island Blue. And then there is the small measure of the Absolut vodka itself. Obviously if you want to have a true Absolut Suicide, you can’t use another brand of vodka. So strictly adhere to the ingredients as listed to have yourself a genuine Absolut Suicide.
And who doesn’t like to play around with something as playfully named as that?
The taste test team at ShareMyShot.com ——-that’s who.
It was unanimous among the group that the Absolut was the best part of this lifeless libation. A few people on the team wanted to double the quantity of the vodka component and eliminate the Pucker flavor that they liked the least. But that would be cheating on the recipe. It’s either good, bad, or ugly just as it is.
This one was rather ugly. For starters, it ends up being an odd color. In art class as a kid, you learned how mixing certain primary colors result in a whole new color. The same applies to a lot of mixed drinks and shots. But this light blue hue mixed with dark green and the not-exactly-red color of watermelon came out kind of unbalanced. The taste of this concoction was pretty queer too. We felt you could make a better mixture of multiple Puckers by perhaps using Strawberry Pucker with the Watermelon flavor. Or some other combination.
ShareMyShot had no choice but to give this lethal liquid a 1 on a scale of 5. And it’s only considered lethal because one team member threatened to jump out the window of our high-rise office if we made her do a third round.
You’re better off ordering that poisonous Chinese blowfish (fugu) if you want out that bad.
Cheers !!
Posted in 1 Star Shots, Absolut, Apple Pucker, DeKuyper Island Blue Pucker, DeKuyper Sour Apple Pucker, DeKuyper Watermelon Pucker, Island Blue Pucker, Watermelon Pucker, flavored schnapps, schnapps | No Responses »
Monday, January 18th, 2010
Blonde Bimbo
1/2 oz. Malibu coconut rum
1/2 oz. Hiram Walker peach schnapps
1/2 oz. Tuaca citrus liqueur
1/2 oz. Dole pineapple juice
Shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into glass.
This recipe comes to us from a friend of mine named Beth who bartends at a little pub called Spanky’s out in Lyons, Illinois. I’ve known Beth for a good 20 years now and she’s as blonde as the day I first met her. In fact, she used to have a huge party every year that she called the Blonde Bimbo Bash. There’d be flyers up all over town and she’d get a turnout of at least 250 people every year. It was a great party with a rockin’ band playing and then her mom would always be at the entrance collecting tickets / money from partygoers. So you always spent a few minutes saying ” HI ” to mom before actually going on in to the party.
Now married and the mother of a son herself, Beth doesn’t throw the Blonde Bimbo Bash anymore. But she tends bar on weekends to make a little side money and she shared this little ditty with me over the weekend and suggested the team give it a try.
This is the first time we have used Tuaca citrus liqueur and we had to send office lackey Keith down to the liquor store to get it. Tuaca is an Italian liqueur with a slightly sweet taste and an amber color. It is based from a fine, cask-aged brandy base and has a fruity flavor of vanilla and citrus. While not overtly expensive, this 70 proof brand might run you about $22-27 in a good liquor store.
Whenever we try a recipe from a friend’s suggestion—-especially a bartender friend—–we strongly encourage you to stick to the exact ingredients. So in this case, there are a variety of peach schnapps out there for you to choose from, but Hiram Walker is a rather inexpensive brand and we think you should stick with it. If you are going to change any of the ingredients for budget reasons, go with whatever pineapple juice you prefer the most.
The shot was very fruit flavored and was quite pleasant going down. When a shot has a tropical theme or anticipated flavor to it, I always like it served nice and chilled. Which the Blonde Bimbo is. Who likes it when their morning OJ or a glass of fruit juice gets warm? You have an abundance of fruit flavoring here with the pineapple, the coconut rum, the citrus liqueur, and the peach schnapps. While the coconut and the pineapple seemed the most pronounced to me, a few others on the team felt that the citrus liqueur was at the forefront. We all agreed the peach flavoring was probably the least identifiable.
ShareMyShot gives this tropical blend a 3 on a scale of 5. There was some solid discussion about giving it a 4. However, it doesn’t pack a major wallop and the pineapple juice and the peach schnapps held our score down to a 3. If it was the middle of July or August and we had the A/C cranking in the office, we just might have awarded it a 4. It is more of a summertime shot.
Thanks to Beth at Spankys in Lyons, Illinois for sharing this recipe. Drop in and see the original Blonde Bimbo sometime. She’s a real sweetheart.
Cheers !!
Posted in 3 Star Shots, Caribbean, Dole pineapple juice, Hiram Walker peach schnapps, Malibu Rum, Spanky's, Tuaca citrus liqueur, citrus liqueur, coconut rum, comfort shots, flavored liqueurs, flavored schnapps, fruit juices, liqueurs, pineapple juice, rum, schnapps, tropical fruit shots | No Responses »
Thursday, January 14th, 2010
Kryptonite
3 /4 oz. Captain Morgan Original spiced rum
3 /4 oz. Malibu coconut rum
3 /4 oz. Midori melon liqueur
3 /4 oz. Dole pineapple juice
1 splash Bacardi 151 rum
Combine all of the ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into a shot glass and serve. Enjoy !
Today’s recipe is for those of you who like your rum. It employs the three biggest names in the American rum consuming business. Not that all of them are American-made brands; the Bacardi family and their plant originate from Puerto Rico. {If you ever fly into San Juan and have a few hours to kill, by all means visit the Bacardi plant}. We’re just saying that the three labels involved in this recipe are the most commonly recognized / stocked rums in American bars and liquor stores.
You have your Captain Morgan rum which seems to be the most popular rum on the market over the last few years based on a huge advertising campaign. Whenever I go to bars these days or take a girl out, the popular drink is Captain and Coke or Captain and Sprite.
Then you have the tasty Malibu coconut rum and the more potent Bacardi 151 rum.
The other components to this shot that would allegedly bring Superman himself to his knees are our old friend Midori melon liqueur and pineapple juice. The recipe says to use Dole pineapple juice, but really you could use any damn pineapple juice you want. You could probably even go with a different brand of melon liqueur like the usual suspects: Potter’s, Bols, Hiram Walker, or DeKuyper.
We made our shooters straight from the recipe. We wanted to see if this rum-heavy bad boy would really take us to the Fortress of Solitude or would it end up being Lois Lame.
The shot wasn’t too bad, but it didn’t blow any of our socks off on the taste team. It was fruity tasting thanks to the coconut rum and the pineapple juice. The melon liqueur was a little hard to identify. It tasted slightly Pina Colada-esque. The taste team tried several rounds of this supposedly lethal weapon, but we must be a little tougher than the ol’ Man of Steel. While we did feel a little bit of a zing after five rounds, it was more tasty than powerful. And it wasn’t quite as tasty as some of the recipes we have had the privilege to sample lately.
ShareMyShot gives this rummy combination a 3 on a scale of 5. We give it credit for trying hard. But in the end, there was no getting past that it was a union of the Big 3 rum brands with a little pineapple juice in it. Oh yeah…and the hardly discernable melon liqueur. It is a pleasant tasting, soothing little number. But we just couldn’t give it a higher grade due to its limited creativity and so-so kick.
I think Superman could put away a bunch of these before he started to feel his super powers start to fade.
Cheers !!
Posted in 3 Star Shots, Bacardi 151, Bols Melon Liqueur, Captain Morgan Spiced Rum, DeKuyper Liqueur Melon, Dole pineapple juice, Hiram Walker Melon Liqueur, Malibu Rum, Midori melon liqueur, Potter's Melon Liqueur, coconut rum, flavored liqueurs, fruit juices, liqueurs, melon liqueurs, pineapple juice, rum, tropical fruit shots | No Responses »
Wednesday, January 13th, 2010
Spank the Monkey
3/4 oz. 99 Bananas schnapps
3/4 oz. Smirnoff Vanilla Twist vodka
1/2 oz. Bacardi 151 rum
In a double shot glass, pour the 99 Bananas schnapps with the Smirnoff Vanilla Twist. Top off with the Bacardi. If your shot glass is clear, the shooter will actually look banana-yellow in color. Toss it down and enjoy !
When this shot was first suggested by one of the guys on the taste team, one of the women thought it was a follow-up to yesterday’s recipe for the Tiger Tail. And it wasn’t even because it mentions another member of the animal kingdom. She wondered if this is what Tiger Woods is resorting to since he won’t be getting much more Tiger Tail. But we do believe it is named because of the banana taste and the color involved. Thus, we proudly bring to you the Spank the Monkey !
The recipe calls for 99 Bananas schnapps which is a very good brand produced by Barton. This is a breezy, premium banana flavored schnapps that is actually 99 proof. So more than most banana schnapps or liqueurs, this label will have you swinging from the vines. Or at least prompt someone to run around with the lampshade on their head. If you really had to, you could go with another banana liqueur like Marie Brizard’s Creme de Banana. But we do strongly discourage it. The creme de banana liqueurs are definately a different animal than 99 Bananas schnapps. Pardon the pun.
The drink really demands the 99 proof schnapps. Combined with the Bacardi 151 rum, the shooter is meant to really give you a zing. And we haven’t even mentioned the vodka component yet. You don’t want to deviate from the Smirnoff Vanilla Twist either. These ingredients specified in the recipe are meant to do three things: 1) Provide a shot with a slight aesthetic value wherein the color is very close to a yellow banana (2) Provide a rare and very special flavor combination and (3) Provide a shot that if you drink enough of these deceptive jungle drinks, they’ll knock you on your ass.
We didn’t call on Bartender Tony to mix this one for us. The directions aren’t very hard. You do want the Bacardi to go in the glass last. But it’s not like there’s some delicate layering going on here. The overall blend of these three ingredients should result in a banana colored yellow appearance.
There’s no other way to say it but this shooter was scrumptious. The taste team literally went ape shit over it. We had about 5 rounds and the promised kick really came thru. The taste was very smooth….no harshness. The flavors melded together into one delectable delicacy. No one component dominated the other except for the fact that it is a banana themed drink. The vodka and the rum let the banana schnapps have center stage. But it wasn’t so banana-y that it tasted weak or strictly for the ladies.
ShareMyShot gives this jungle juice a 5 on a scale of 5. It had the creative aspect, the knockout punch that is often missing from tasty shots, and a nice combination of respectable ingredients.
If Tiger Woods is indeed no longer getting any Tiger Tail, then he really should consider turning to Spank the Monkey.
Cheers !!
Posted in 5 Star Shots, 99 Bananas schnapps, Bacardi 151, Marie Brizard Creme de Banana, Smirnoff Vanilla Twist vodka, Smirnoff's vodka, banana liqueur, banana schnapps, comfort shots, flavored schnapps, rum, schnapps, vodka | No Responses »
