The Boroughs (pt. 1)

I promised a cocktail for the NFL draft this weekend and I am going in a different direction than football with this drink. The Draft is a raucous event at Manhattan's Radio City Music Hall, so I focused on the place rather than the spectacle.
I decided to go with the classic Manhattan. And classic it is - in 2014, the Manhattan's reign will be 150 years straight, longer than any other cocktail in history. What's really interesting is that four of the five New York Boroughs have classic drinks associated with them. Only Staten Island got screwed over. Let's give you the more drinkable two in this post and the other two later on.

Manhattan
Classic Pour Series

2 1/2 ounces rye or bourbon
1 ounce sweet vermouth
2 dashes Angostura bitters

In Wisconsin, we build in an iced rocks glass and stir. I prefer the lemon twist rather than a bourbon cherry for my Manhattan...

Brooklyn
Classic Pour Series

2 ounces rye or bourbon
3/4 ounces of dry vermouth
2 teaspoons of maraschino liqueur
2 teaspoons of Amer Picon

Build and stir like the Manhattan. Amer Picon is pretty rare. Amari like CioCiaro can substitute. Don't have it? Most Wisconsin cocktail bars skip the Amer Picon altogether. Or you can join us here at the Firewater Lounge and we'd be glad to pour the Amaro version.