Binny's Blog

Give this unconventional bourbon cocktail a try. The key ingredient in this drink is Orgeat syrup, a sweet and nutty syrup familiar to Tiki devotees like myself, but a mystery to many. Do yourself a favor and pick up a bottle tout suite. This delicious almond syrup is the magical ingredient in dozens of tropical drinks, most famously the Mai Tai.

Bartender Angie from the Binny's Lincoln Park Tasting Room got the inspiration for this potion after hearing about how much Pliny the Elder enjoyed his peers. It's a well-balanced cocktail, with bitterness from amaro pairing perfectly with the spiced pear flavors of the St. George Liqueur.

The dog days of summer are upon us. The solution for this sticky summer slog? The bramble cocktail. It's a concoction that usually includes blackberry and gin, but variations feature raspberry, blueberry and more. And if gin isn't your style, vodka makes a great substitution, too.

This gin-soaked sparkling cocktail takes its name from an historic 75mm field cannon. You might guess why: this drink packs a big kick. Like, really big

Originating from Cuba, the Mojito is traditionally a five ingredient cocktail that consists of white rum, sugar, lime juice, sparkling water and mint. The mint, sugar and citrus combined amplifies the rum flavor. Take a break from your summer garden work, sit back and enjoy a few of these refreshing highball classics.

The Old Fashioned is a cocktail staple and has stayed the most consistent since its origin compared to other long standing cocktails. In the early 1800's when the word "cocktail" was defined as a "potent concoction of spirits, bitters, water and sugar," the Old Fashioned was called a bittered sling.

This cocktail is essentially the adult version of a strawberry limeade. It's a bright, sour and tart mix that will have you salivating for more. Its main spirit ingredient is Cachaça. If you're not familiar with the sugarcane spirit, we highly recommend you try it.

Never heard of it? All you need to know is that it's another cocktail with bourbon, and it's fantastic. There's not much history on this mixology masterpiece besides the fact it was probably created before prohibition.

So the story goes, this classic dates back to the early 1920's and was served at Burma's Pegu Club in Rangoon, Burma to men of elite status within the government and such. This gin-based gem is simple to make but is full of complex and robust flavors.

If you're not familiar with this classic cocktail, it is widely known as an aperitif but most certainly can be enjoyed as a cocktail at any time. The drink's origins are pretty much unknown but what we do know is how it got its name.