SPVAQ32021 - 22

HOME BARTENDER HEADSHOTS
* Vodka. Start with a basic
neutral spirit for drinks like
a Screwdriver and Bloody
Mary. Add flavored vodkas,
like vanilla and citrus, as
your recipes expand.
* Tequila. A blanco (silver)
tequila enables you to mix
up Margaritas, Palomas,
Mexican Mules, Tequila
Sunrises and other popular
tequila drinks. When you're
ready, add a reposado
tequila or, if you like a
smokier note, a mezcal.
* Gin. If you don't like gin,
your guests might. Then
again, some new craft
gins offer a diversity of
botanical flavors-and one
just might float your boat.
Gin can help you craft a
simple Gin and Tonic, Gin
Rickey, Negroni and Tom
Collins.
* Liqueur. For many popular
cocktails (think Margarita
and Cosmo, White Russian,
B-52, and martinis), you'll
want to stock your bar
with orange liqueur, coffee
liqueur and Irish cream
liqueur.
* Vermouth. This fortified
wine-in dry and sweet-is
used in cocktails such as
the Manhattan, Americano
and Martini.
* Bitters. Angostura,
Peychaud's and orange
bitters are among the most
oft-used bitters.
CUSTOMIZING YOUR LIQUOR
LIST
What if your go-to drink at a bar
doesn't use these ingredients?
Let's say, you often order a
Sazerac, made with cognac,
absinthe, Peychaud's bitters and
a sugar cube. You'd like to make
this go-to cocktail at home, too,
but the ingredients aren't in the
list of common spirits. First, this
is your bar, so please yourself!
Second, look for other drinks
made with cognac, absinthe and
Peychaud's bitters-you'll expand
your repertoire using the same
ingredients. And you might even
find some new favorite cocktails.
To explore your options for new
recipes, visit the Virginia ABC
website (ABC.Virginia.gov).
Enter an ingredient in the Search
field. In the Result Type beneath
the field, check Recipe. For
example, to make the most of the
liquors found in a Sazerac, enter
" cognac. " You'll find recipes for
Vieux Carré (which conveniently
also uses Peychaud's bitters),
Sidecar, Corpse Reviver (#1) and
more.
Brenda Barnes has expanded
her bespoke liquor cabinet with
flavored vodkas that work well
with the tropical drinks that she
and Joe enjoy.
" We like Deep Eddy's flavored
vodkas, such as their orange
and grapefruit vodkas, " says
Brenda. " Grapefruit or orange
crushes are our favorites. I enjoy
a Cosmopolitan made with Tito's
vodka and LeRoux triple sec. I
22 SPIRITED VIRGINIA
http://ABC.Virginia.gov
SPVAQ32021

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