Last Vegas Roll

We're returning from another long hiatus, but know that, although the nation is moving into neo-temperance, we are not. We just got really busy again. My hopes are that we can get five posts in this year to keep any Lounge Lizards out there still well-informed on what, where, and how to drink.

At the same time, I was reminiscing a bit on the 1990s and the college years (prepare for a Tiki TV post in the future!) and have had the Tupac Shakur murder trial on the boob tube for background noise. Tupac was shot down in Las Vegas 30 (!) years ago and would have been 55 years old if he were still alive today. That got me thinking... What would 'Pac be drinking? I have a guess. Given the amount of mentions of liquor in his tunes, there are three clear favorites: Hennessy, Alizé, and gin.

So, in memory of one of America's greatest rappers, let's create a libation for you to keep ya head up. For it, you'll need rosemary syrup. To make it, mix 1 cup of sugar with 1 cup of water and dissolve in nearly boiling water. Take off heat and steep a packed 1/4 cup of rosemary leaves for 20-25 minutes. Remove the leaves, strain, and cool.

Last Vegas Roll
Holly's Original

2 ounces gin (I used Old Tom)
1 ounce St-Germain elderflower liqueur
3/4 ounce rosemary syrup
Splash of freshly-squeezed lemon

Shake all ingredients on ice. Strain into a cocktail glass or coupe. Garnish with lemon peel. As a fun variant, replace the Old Tom with Koval cranberry gin for an even more complex drink I call the Koval Stoplight. 

As a chaser, try Tupac's own Thug Passion.

Thug Passion
Classic Pours

1 part Alizé Gold Passion
1 part Champagne (Tupac uses Cristal, most of us can't) or 1 part Hennessy cognac

Chill both bottles well before mixing. Pour equal parts in a glass suitable for a thug (ice optional). Stir lightly to keep your Champagne bubbles alive. 

Auburn Courtesan

Before we head into another round of the Around America series, let's end the summer with an original creation with a bit of sweet sophistication, yet still easy on the pocketbook and made from spirits that you can get at rural Wisconsin liquor stores. We had to use up a crate of Idaho peaches left over from a school function, so here at the Firewater Lounge, there is no hesitation to whip up a batch of peach cocktail syrup. Mostly, this peach syrup will go into bourbon and rum old fashioneds, but this time I thought I'd class it up and elevate an old college shooter: The Red Headed Slut.

Summer Sours

With the summer heat upon us, we needed to break in the new deck furniture at the Firewater Lounge. The only way to do this properly is to cool off with a few drinks, so let's give you a few. A week ago or so, Cindy and I found some good grapefruits on sale in Madison. Besides Durango's Strater Hotel whiskey sipper, the Bustamonte 1957, and anything in the Firewater Lounge that contains Don's Secret Mix (see FWL blog post from September 2011), there isn't a whole lot of grapefruit juice straight up in this venerable blog.

To correct that, Cindy was looking to add a paloma to the Lounge. Now, the paloma is a classic drink for sure, but pretty boring. It's simply Squirt soda and tequila at a 2 to 1 ratio with a splash of lime juice. Yeah. Like a rum and coke. That doesn't do it for us here at this bar. So we made a modern-day accepted riff on the paloma that has more flavor and more real juice.

Mezcal Paloma

2 ounces mezcal (we used Bozal)
2 ounces fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice
1/2 ounce simple syrup
top with club soda or 7-Up

Shake the first three ingredients with ice. Strain over ice in a Collins glass. Top with soda and stir gently a few revolutions. Garnish with a grapefruit swath. If you like it sweeter, rim your Collins glass with sugar prior to icing it.

Now, the Paloma isn't the only sour worthy of your summer enjoyment. I poured myself a Jasper's Planter's Punch for my deck excursion. What's that? A funky Jamaican rum in Jasper's Secret Mix (see FWL blog post from June 2010). The key to this flavor bomb of a drink is the esters created from the traditional pot still distillation of Jamaican rums. Esters are formed through a chemical reaction between alcohols and acids during fermentation and distillation, creating fruity and floral aromas and flavors that are banana and/or mango-like. It's referred to as 'hogo' or 'funk', and it's great in Jasper's mix. Whip yourself up a batch of Jasper's and try it in Smith & Cross, Wray & Nephew, or Hamilton rums (or all three)! Here's the recipe:

Jasper's Planter's Punch

1 part Jamaican rum (I used Hamilton)
1 part Jasper's Secret Mix

Build in an old-fashioned or rocks glass over ice. If you need it sweeter, top with 7-Up.