I am super excited to attend TOAST this year.  I have VIP tickets and I’m looking forward to sampling some Northwest liquors and trying out their cocktail creations.  TOAST is this weekend, visit their website for more info and tickets!  When I see you there we can… well, toast.

I’ve been in such a cocktail mood later.  Move over beer and enter bourbon.  (Don’t worry, IPA, I still love you.)  I’ve been practicing some of the classic cocktails as well as reading up on different riffs to the creations.  I thought I’d share a few cocktail recipes that I’ve been sipping on. Enjoy.

The Manhattan– Man, it’s a sexy drink, isn’t it?  Dirty Martinis used to be my favorite go-to cocktail and the Manhattan is slowly taking over.  I’ll write out the recipe, but I’m sure if you’re a cocktail enthusiast you know this one by heart.

• 2 oz. whiskey (Rye… but I’ve been experimenting)
• 1 oz. sweet red vermouth
• 6 dashes aromatic bitters (or… to mix it up try a mix of aromatic and chocolate bitters)
• brandied cherry for garnish

Stir all ingredients with ice, strain into a coupe, garnish with a cherry.

Cold Brew Old Fashioned– The wonderful people over at Holderness Coffee Roasters are rocking Corvallis with their coffee.  I recently tried their Stick House Blend.  Delicious.  When I told them I was working on cocktails they sent over one of their favorite riffs on the Old Fashioned that featured coffee, of course.  Here is their recipe:

• 2 oz. good bourbon
• 4-5 dashes of bitters (they used Angostura, I used aromatic bitters from Portland Bitters)
• 2 oz. cold brew coffee (they suggested Kenya Karagoto)
• 1 sugar cube (or 1 tsp. of sugar)
• orange rind

• 1 oz. Campari
• 1 oz. sweet red vermouth
• 6 dashes grapefruit bitters
• 2 dashes aromatic bitters
• Prosecco
• orange zest ribbon for garnish

Place four ice cubes in a collins glass, add Campari, vermouth, and bitters. Stir. Top with prosecco and garnish with an orange ribbon.

Pegu Club VIP– This wonderful drink is also from Mark Bitterman’s book. It calls for a citrus syrup which takes just a tad more additional work, but you can keep the syrup for up to five weeks.  And it’s worth it.  I love this cocktail.  I used Aria gin from P-town, because I love it.

• 2 oz. dry gin
• 3/4 oz. Cointreau
• 1/4 oz. lime juice
• 1/4 oz. Citrus Syrup made with limes
• 6 dashes aromatic bitters
• 4 big crystals flake salt

Shake all ingredients except the salt with ice, strain into a coupe glass.  (I used a martini glass.) Sprinkle with salt.

The Citrus Syrup with limes: 12 limes- strip the zest from the citrus.  Squeeze the juice into a glass jar (about 1 1/2 cups). Stir in 1 3/4 cup sugar and zest strips.  Cover and set aside for 24 hours.  As I mentioned you can keep the syrup in the fridge for up to 5 weeks.