A perfect Negroni. August 07 2021

The Negroni is, quite simply, a perfect cocktail.  With equal parts Campari, gin, and sweet vermouth, it couldn’t be easier to make, proving that, like sisters, luck and Musketeers, the best things really do come in threes. 

Bitter, sweet, dry, and refreshing all at once, the carmine-colored cocktail has developed a reputation as a summer mainstay, but the truth is there’s never really a bad time to whip one up. 

 We've also made the shirt - available here.

image: Hellfire Bluff Distillery 

Are you dirty or perfect? November 17 2020

No confusion here - we love a little olive brine in our martini - that puts us firmly in the dirty camp, but for martini purists out there, there is no shame in being perfect. 

Martinis, like a classic white shirt - need personal touches to make it your favourite and ‘go to’ for cocktail night. 

This easy, elegant cocktail combines dry gin, vermouth and green olives

Ingredients: (Serves 2)

• 140ml London dry gin  
• 25ml dry vermouth
• 6 green olives, pitted, plus 25ml of the brine
• ice

Method:

• Put two martini glasses in the fridge to chill. 
• Thread the olives onto two cocktail sticks and set aside.
• Fill a shaker or mixing glass with the ice, then pour in the gin, vermouth and olive brine. Stir until the outside of the shaker feels cold. 
• Strain the mix into the chilled glasses and garnish with the olive skewers.

OR if you prefer to be perfect, the following might be more your style.

 Ingredients: (Serves 1)

• 60ml vodka or gin
• 1 tbsp (15ml) dry vermouth
• olive or lemon peel to garnish
• ice

 Method:

• Chill your glass.
• Stir the gin or vodka, dry vermouth and a little ice together or put them in a cocktail shaker to combine.
• Strain into a chilled martini glass. Serve with an olive on a cocktail stick or a twist of lemon peel.

 

 

Margaritas in a Tasmanian Winter. August 11 2020

We find that our lime tree provides us with so many limes over Winter that is has become a yearly tradition to enjoy a margarita or two in the depths of a Tasmanian chill. I like to crank the heat up and pretend it's summer - call me a denialist - but it gets me through the cold. 

 Equipment
 A shaker
 Cocktail glass

Ingredients
2 parts blanco Tequila (we used Espolon - mainly for the pretty label)
1 part Cointreau
1 part freshly squeezed lime juice
Salt

Cubed ice

Directions
1.Chill your glass
2.Run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass before rolling it in salt.
3. Put a handful of ice and all of the ingredients into a shaker, then shake hard for about 30 seconds to chill the liquid really well
4.Strain the mix into the glass being careful not to disturb the salt rim. 

 

Hot tip - You'll want to enjoy in moderation.

 

 

White Port & Grapefruit Spritz. July 17 2020

Perhaps not one for a zoom meeting during the day, but this is just about our favourite weekend ISO drink; it is so fresh, so easy to make and has just the right balance of bitter and sweet.

Once only found in the back of Grannie's booze cupboard - white port is making an appearance in our weekend cocktails. The people of Porto drink it with tonic, but given they invented it, we might follow their lead.

To serve 3 people you will need:

- Dry White Port
- 1 Grapefruit
- Soda Water
- Mint 
- Ice
- Low ball glasses or tumblers

Make sure your port and soda water are well chilled.

When you are ready to make the drinks, fill your glasses with ice, then take a hefty slice of grapefruit and squeeze it over the ice. You want the pith to give up some of its oil and a decent slug of the juice in the glass.

Fill the glass about three quarters full with the port, give it a quick stir with the fruit wedge and top with a head of soda. Garnish with mint to serve.

Delicious!