We’re thrilled to have been featured in Porch.com’s recent feature: “Building and Stocking a Bar at Home: 101 With the Experts.” They asked our editor Greg Mays “What is the best recipe you can give us to make a Martini at home, and which are your favorite variations?” Here’s an excerpt: “Welcome to what is potentially the most explosive topic in the world of cocktails: the Martini. Folks are very particular about their Martini preferences. Vodka or gin? Dirty or “clean”? Wet or dry? There are some universal tenants to a great Martini, and the #1 ingredient is COLD. Make sure your glassware is ..read more

If we are to believe rumors, then Stiggins’ Fancy Plantation Pineapple Rum should not exist. Or, it should exist but you shouldn’t be able to buy it. Here’s the story: In 2014, cocktail historian David Wondrich, along with Plantation Rum‘s cellar master Alexandre Gabriel created a “flavored” rum based on the Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens, in which Reverend Stiggins often enjoyed “pineapple rum.” This rum, dubbed Stiggins’ Fancy Plantation Pineapple Rum, was only given by Wondrich to friends at Tales of the Cocktail 2014. As the legend of this special rum grew, Plantat ..read more

When I started Simple Cocktails, I noticed that usually, the classic cocktails are the simplest. A balanced drink is often an issue of a bit of trial and error, too, to get the ratio of liquor and mixer just right. I’m excited to have Q Drinks on board for this drink in particular, because I feel like soda’s become more and more sweet these days from it’s original makeup, which was a bit spicy balanced with sweet, with notes of clove, cinnamon and vanilla. Q Drink’s Kola is just that, though, a less-sweet traditional cola that makes a killer cocktail mixer because it allows you to make a ..read more

We’re headed to SACC this week! Rum as beard oil? We taste Afrohead aged rums. Bringing your own Booze onto an airplane. We make Morgenthaler’s Daiquiri. http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/simple-cocktails.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Simple-Cocktails-Podcast-Episode-117.mp3 Download Episode 117 ..read more

Thanksgiving extravaganza! “Just like Willy Wonka.” Gin, not Jim. We taste Revel Stoke pecan and root beer whiskies. Greg & Jeff talk about hunting. We make a Thanksgiving-in-a-Glass cocktail. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Photo by Texas Parks & Wildlife. http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/simple-cocktails.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Simple-Cocktails-Podcast-Episode-110.mp3 Download Episode 110 ..read more

We’re thrilled to have been featured in Porch.com’s recent feature: “Building and Stocking a Bar at Home: 101 With the Experts.” They asked our editor Greg Mays “What is the best recipe you can give us to make a Martini at home, and which are your favorite variations?” Here’s an excerpt: “Welcome to what is potentially the most explosive topic in the world of cocktails: the Martini. Folks are very particular about their Martini preferences. Vodka or gin? Dirty or “clean”? Wet or dry? There are some universal tenants to a great Martini, and the #1 ingredient is COLD. Make sure your glassware is ..read more

I recently came across East Bev Co, a cocktail box subscription service that focuses exclusively on Asian and Asian-inspired ingredients. They were kind enough to send me a sample of one of their boxes, which includes ingredients to make 3 different cocktails, and comes with enough to actually make 4 of each. Helloooooo dinner party! East Bev boxes run about $50 per month, and includes all ingredients but alcohol. My 3 recipes this month called for Sake, so a single bottle would be perfect to make all 12 drinks. I chose the Yuzu Sour, and here’s how you do it: Yuzu Sour (via East Bev Co ..read more

Dashfire has been making cocktail bitters for several years, and has entered the ready-to-drink cocktail space now with several canned drinks that you simply chill and pour,  Now, we’re talking about simple cocktails that are about as simple as it gets. There’s no chance of user error here, and nothing to be intimidated by. Now, the philosophical side of this: the communal aspect of making cocktails together can’t be overstated, and there is a lot of freedom to adjust recipes according to your tastes when you make your own cocktails….but I think there’s a time and place for such a conven ..read more

There’s no doubt that the Holidays are a great time of year to break out the RumChata. Show up to the party with a chilled bottle, and people will always be thrilled. Of course, this leave lots of opportunity to experiment with great Rumchata winter drinks. RumChata, if you don’t know yet, is rum, cream, vanilla, cinnamon and sugar. It’s great to mix with warm drinks (coffee, cocoa and tea) and it makes for some killer cocktails with lots of spirits. Here’s one I made called a Candy Cane: Candy Cane (by Greg Mays) in a rocks glass filled with ice, add: 1 1/2 oz RumChata 1 1/2 oz white rum 3 ..read more

I have been glad to have RumChata join us as a sponsor for the past few years at Simple Cocktails, and I’ve been starting to wonder if I’ll run out of ideas for new RumChata cocktails. Today, I opened, the liquor cabinet, and thought to myself: what do I love? Let’s make that a drink. I grabbed RumChata, rye whiskey and aged rum. I poured equal parts and shook it on ice. I could not believe how delicious this cocktail was. Time to share the recipe…this is my current go-to RumChata drink! RumChata RRR (by Greg Mays) In a shaker, combine: 1 oz RumChata 1 oz high-proof rye (100+ proof) 1 o ..read more