Johnny adapts the beer cryo-concentration technique he learned while making Kevin Kos’s Guinness Coffee Liqueur (https://www.kevinkos.com/post/guinness-coffee-liqueur) for a Campari substitute. Cherry liqueur stands in for the traditional sweet vermouth. Does it resemble a Negroni? Slightly. Is it delicious? Absolutely!

Features:

• 1 ounce London Dry Gin

• 1 ounce homemade cherry-almond-pepper liqueur* or Cherry Heering

• 1 ounce cryo-concentrated IPA beer** (70 IBU beer used)

• 2 drops 20% saline solution

• Garnish: lemon peel

Build:

• Combine liquid ingredients in mixing glass half-filled with ice.

• Stir until chilled, 15 - 20 seconds.

• Strain into rocks glass filled with fresh ice.

• Garnish.

*Homemade Cherry Liqueur:

• 500 grams fresh pitted cherries

• 20 grams crushed blanched almonds

• 2 tsp red or pink peppercorns

• 500 ml vodka

Add all ingredients to a sous vide bag and seal. Cook in a hot water bath at 65°C (149°F) for 2 hours. Chill the bag quickly in an ice bath. Strain through cheesecloth, then a coffee filter for clarity. For every 450 ml of strained liquid add 150 grams sugar and 3 ounces Amarena cherry syrup (from the jar!). Stir until the sugar dissolves, then bottle.

Liqueur recipe sourced from @jfdesfosses’s Cherry & Pink Peppercorn Liqueur Recipe Instagram Reel.

**Cryo-concentrated IPA:

Pour bottle or can of IPA into a square glass or plastic container. Place container, uncovered, in freezer and leave until beer freezes. Tare plastic “melt” container with colander upon kitchen scale. Cut frozen beer cube halfway length and width-wise into four equal squares. Add squares, maintaining up/down orientation, to colander and note added weight of squares. Liquid yield target is 1/3 of weight of original squares. Periodically transfer dripped beer concentrate into “yield” container of known or tared weight until liquid yield target is attained.

Discard remaining unmelted beer. Keep concentrate (should be four cocktail serves) in fridge up to one week if you can stop yourself from drinking it the first day.

Carl's Grass Skirt is Johnny riffing his original Munson creation by adding pineapple shrub left over from serving Island Oasis (so good!) at a dinner party. Better than the original? You decide. Worth the shrub-making effort? Definitely! (and then you're set to make the Island Oasis). Enjoy!

Features:

• 1-3/4 ounces bourbon

• 3/4 ounce Beirão

• 1 ounce pineapple shrub *

• 1 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed, strained

• 1/2 ounce simple syrup

• 2 drops 20% saline solution

• Garnish: lemon twist

Build:

• Add liquid ingredients to a shaking tin half-filled with ice

• Shake until chilled, at least 10 seconds.

• Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.

• Garnish.

*Pineapple Shrub:

• 2 cups fresh or frozen pineapple cubes

• 1 cup dark brown sugar

• 2 whole cloves

• 2 quarter-inch pieces peeled ginger root

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1 cup water

• 1 cup apple cider vinegar

Add pineapple, sugar, cloves, ginger and cinnamon into a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until sugar bubbles and pineapple is caramelized.

Add water, bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes.

Remove from heat, add vinegar, stir to combine. Cool and refrigerate overnight. Strain out solids (save pineapple, yummy snack!) and store in fridge.

This proves once again that Campari (better yet Carpano Botanic Bitter) and pineapple are best friends. This introduces them to Don Papa Baroko, a rum wannabe from the Philippines. DEEEELISH!

Features:

• 1 ounce Don Papa Baroko

• 1 ounce Campari (or Carpano Botanic Bitter if available)

• 1 ounce pineapple juice

• 2 drops 20% saline solution

• Garnish: Air-fryer-grilled pineapple half wheel

Build:

• Add liquid ingredients to a shaking tin half-filled with ice

• Shake until chilled, 10-12 seconds.

• Strain into rocks glass filled with fresh ice.

• Garnish.

Released on the 51st anniversary of Portugal's Carnation Revolution. This event marked the beginning of Portugal's transition to democracy and the end of its colonial wars in Africa, symbolized by the demonstrators use of red carnations. This refreshing drink, comprised of Portuguese spirits and liqueurs, is for celebrating democracy this day and throughout the year.

Features:

   • 1 ounce Gin (preferably Portuguese)

   • 1 ounce Per Se

   • 1 ounce Ginja

   • 2 drops 20% saline solution

   • Garnish: lemon peel

Build:

   • Add ingredients to a mixing glass half-filled with ice.

   • Stir until chilled, at least 15 seconds. 

   • Strain into rocks glass filled with fresh ice.

   • Express lemon peel over drink and add to glass as garnish.

Rapidly ascended Johnny's faves list. A straight-up Mr Potatohead of the classic recipe, swapping out sweet vermouth with PX Sherry sourced from the birthplace of Sherry in Spain. The rich, velvety Sherry melds spot-on with the spicy over-proofed rye and bitters to create a luxurious drink. You're welcome!

Features:

   • 2 ounces bottled-in-bond rye

   • 1 ounce PX Sherry

   • 2 dashes Angostura bitters  

   • Garnish: Brandied cherry

Build:

   • Add liquid ingredients to ice-filled mixing glass.  

   • Stir until chilled, at least 15 seconds. 

   • Double-strain into chilled coupe glass.

   • Add cherry to glass with or without a pick.

Created when tasked with a Thanksgiving cocktail for 10, almost all palates unknown to me. A gateway bourbon drink with a wheated mash bill and shorter pour for a 3 o'clock drink. Onward will use 2:1:1 and 2 dash build.

Features:

   • 1-1/2 ounces Makers Mark bourbon

   • 3/4 ounce Cinnamon-Pear syrup*

   • 3/4 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed, strained

   • 1 dash Angostura bitters

   • 2 drops 20% saline solution

   • Garnish: 1/2 lemon wheel

Build:

   • Add liquid ingredients to shaker half-filled with ice. 

   • Shake until chilled, 10-12 seconds.

   • Strain into rocks glass filled with fresh ice. 

   • Garnish. 

*Cinnamon-Pear syrup:

   • 1-1/2 cups demerara sugar

   • 1-1/2 cups water

   • 1 pear, cored, thinly sliced

   • 2 cinnamon sticks

   • 5 cloves 

   • 2 pieces of star anise  

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan, bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer, add pear, simmer for 45 minutes. Remove from heat, add spices, steep for one hour. Strain out solids. Allow syrup to cool, store in fridge for up to one week.

A Portuguese twist to the @HighProofPreacher “Boozy Cream” Instagram Reel.

Features:

   • 2 ounces CR&F Aguardente Velha Reserva

• 3/4 ounce toasted pine nut infused sweet vermouth*

   • 1/2 ounce Beirão

   • 2 dashes orange bitters

   • Talurdinha Sabor do Algarve Licor Figo Cream**

Build:

   • Add liquid ingredients to mixing glass half-filled with ice.

   • Stir until chilled, at least 15 seconds.

   • Double-strain into chilled coupe glass.

   • Top with fig liqueur cream.

*Toasted Pine Nut Infused Sweet Vermouth:

   • Toast 1Tbsp pine nuts in dry skillet until slightly browned

   • Add cooled pine nuts and 1 cup sweet vermouth to a ziplock plastic bag

   • Infuse pine nut/vermouth mixture in sous vide at 140 degrees F for two hours

   • Pour mixture through fine metal sieve into fresh container and store in fridge up to two weeks

**Fig Liqueur Cream:

   • Combine 3 parts heavy cream, 1 to 1.5 parts liqueur and a pinch of salt into a  mixing glass

   • Whip mixture lightly with frother until thickened but still pourable

Created during development of the Frankie Sabor, this is becoming the new fave Espresso Martini riff of all who are served.

Features:

• 1 ounce CR&F Aguardente Velha Reserva

• 1 ounce Talurdinha Sabor do Algarve fig liqueur

• 1 ounce chilled espresso

Build:

• Add ingredients to shaker and dry shake at least 10 seconds.

• Fill shaker halfway with ice cubes.

• Shake until chilled, 10-12 seconds.

• Double-strain into chilled coupe glass.

A nod to the man whose Good Morning Portugal podcast eased Johnny and Kim's transition to and within Portugal. He also introduced (during a long night) Johnny to Beirão, considered by many to be Portugal's national liqueur.

Features:

   • 1-3/4 ounces bourbon

   • 3/4 ounce Beirao

   • 1 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed, strained

   • 1/2 ounce simple syrup

   • 2 drops 20% saline solution

   • Garnish: lemon twist 

Build:

   • Add liquid ingredients to a shaking tin half-filled with ice

   • Shake until chilled, 10-12 seconds. 

   • Strain into rocks glass filled with fresh ice.

   • Garnish.