Mixology
Anyone can “Play” Bartender with a little bit of knowledge and the right tools, for about $500 you can stock your bar to make a wide variety of drinks for the whole crew!
Stocking the Bar: Your houseboat should be stocked with basic liquors to make a wide variety of cocktails, Some spirits are “Must Have’s” others can be tailored to your liking
Liquor Must Haves:
· Vodka
· Light Rum
· Dark Rum
· Tequila
· Whiskey
· Gin
· Red Wine
· White Wine
· A variety of beer
These are the basic building blocks of many of the popular cocktails that your guests will be asking for.
Liquors I like to Have on Hand:
· Scotch
· 151 Rum
· Irish Whiskey
· Canadian Whiskey
· Amaretto
· Irish Cream
· Frangelico or Chocolate Liqure
· Grand Mariner
· Flavored Vodka
· Dry Vermouth
· Sweet Vermouth
These will broaden the scope of the cocktails that you can make, and add a little something extra, over the standard cocktails
Mixers : Cocktails were developed to cut the harshness and bite of straight alcohol, having an assortment of mixers on hand will surely please the most discriminating palate.
· Pineapple Juice
· Grapefruit Juice
· Lemon Juice
· Lime Juice
· Tomato Juice
· Club Soda
· Tonic Water
· Ginger Ale
· Tea
· Cream
· Bitters
· Simple Syrup
· Tabasco
· Worcestershire sauce
· Cola (coke)
· Lemon / Lime Soda (sprite or 7 up)
Store Bought Mixes: These are flavored mixes that all you have to do is add your liquor to and you have an instant cocktail, They work great in a hurry, but some of the more exotic cocktails will taste better when mixed following a recipe
· Margarita Mix
· Strawberry Daiquiri Mix
· Sweet and Sour Mix
· Bloody Mary Mix
· Tom Collins Mix
· Several Varietys and flavors can be found at the local supermarket
Garnishes: Most reputable recipes will tell you what type of garnish the drink calls for, here are just a few examples that I like to keep on in my bar at all times
· Olives
· Pickled Okra
· Lemons
· Limes
· Oranges
· Pineapple
· Maraschino Cherries
· Cocktail Onions
Basic Bar Tools: When I was in college and my friends and I went to the lake, we made our cocktails very simple, Some ice , a lot of rum or whiskey and a splash of coke and we were set, on the Houseboat, I think it is fun to experiment with actual drink recipes and use the tools of the trade
· Ipad / Iphone with a bartender app is a must for any amateur like myself
· Cocktail Shaker
· Boston Shaker
· Strainer
· Muddler
· Lemon Zester
· Paring Knife
· Cutting board
· Layering tool
· Measuring Shot Glasses
Glassware: Each drink recipe that I come across tells you the proper glass to serve the drink in, your guests will be impressed if you serve them in the proper chalice
· Margarita Glass
· Martini Glass
· Tumbler
· Highball
· Beer Mug
· Champagne Flute
· Shot Glass
· Red Wine Glass
· White Wine Glass
These are the ones I keep on hand, but the list is much longer
Now to the drinks
A Full Day of Spirits is sure to lift your spirits on the lake
I try to have drinks available around the clock while beating the summer heat.
Morning / Brunch:
Bloody Mary: This is a classic morning drink, the easiest way to make it is with a pre-mix from the store, it is usually about 4 parts mix to one part Vodka, add a squeeze of lime and a celery stalk, and you are on your way. – I like to craft my own, there are endless recipes available on the internet, but here is one I think you will like
1 tsp. celery salt
1/2 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper
1 oz. vodka
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce
Clamato juice (or a mixture of two parts clam juice to one part tomato juice)
1/2 lime, in two wedges
Pickled Okra and two Olives for Garnish
Screwdriver: Pretty simple to make, Just Orange Juice and Vodka, I like to try it with several different variations, Here is one I like
2 oz. Vodka
2.5 oz. Orange Juice
2.5 oz. Pineapple Juice
Sea Breeze: Another Vodka Based Cocktail that there are several variations of
1 ¾ oz. Vodka
3 oz. Cranberry Juice
1 oz. Grapefruit Juice
Heat of the Day: This is where I like to break out the staple “boat drinks” if you will
· Margarita
· Mai Tai (my wife’s favorite)
· Long Island Iced Tea
· Pena Colada
· Strawberry Daiquiri
Margarita: Easy to make with a store bought mix, just add your tequila and you are done, a very popular drink on the water, Some like them frozen, I prefer mine on the rocks, here is one that I like to go with a crab boil that we often have
1 1/2 oz tequila
1 oz fresh lime juice
1 jalapeno pepper, muddled
1/2 oz Grand Marnier Orange Liquor
Splash of orange bitters
Splash of simple syrup
Jalapeno pepper for garnish
Mai Tai: Maita’I is the Tahitian word for very good, This is one that we always make when the sun shines, and I’ll have to agree, it is very good.
Fill a Collins glass with ice add:
· ¾ oz. light rum
· ¾ oz. dark rum
· ½ oz. amaretto
· ½ oz. triple Sec
· Fill the glass with ½ orange juice ½ Pineapple juice, and float grenadine on top
· Try substituting the light rum with mango rum very tasty
Long Island Iced Tea: If you can’t decide which of the 4 basic liquors is right for you…this is your drink, but be careful these are known to pack a punch!!
· 1 part vodka
· 1 part tequila
· 1 part rum
· 1 part gin
· 1 part triple sec
· 1 ½ parts sweet and sour mix
· splash of Coca-Cola
· Sometimes I’ll top them off with a splash of 151 for extra kick
Strawberry Daiquiri and Pena Colada: I just use the store bought mixes and a blender with ice, they make for great hot August days
Dinner Drinks: For those still up and going after a long day out on the lake, when it’s time for supper I like a more refined drink to stimulate the appetite before my meal. This is when I put the sweet flavors away, and go for a bolder drink. Some examples are
· Manhattan
· Martini
· Gimlet
· Campari Cocktail
· An endless variety of wine
After Dinner Drinks: The Kitchen is cleaned up, the kids are in bed, the only thing left to do is sit on the roof, look at the stars, and relax with perfect after dinner drink.
· Irish Coffee
· Grasshopper
· White Russian
· B-52
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