Binny's Blog

Sangria can be easy or complicated. You can whip it up the morning of or let it marinate overnight. You don't need a recipe, but it's fine to follow one also.

We love a good tasting experiment on Barrel to Bottle, so this week we're making Manhattans. A lot of Manhattans. So many Manhattans that we can't keep track of how many we're making. We tried 21 different bitters to see which one makes the best Manhattan.

Originally, the Sazerac cocktail was made with French brandy. In 1873, the recipe for the Sazerac Cocktail was altered to replace the French brandy with American Rye whiskey. We decided to recreate the original with Hennessy Cognac - plus ginger syrup, a few dashes of barrel aged bitters, and of course, a heavy absinthe rinse.

This is positively the best time of year in Chicago. It's sixty degrees, with a calm breeze and loads of sunshine. Time for biking, jogging, boating, gardening, playing with the pup. Picnics, barbecues and parties.