[MandoMan]

Originally Posted by frayedends

I mean, the best bartenders, and the best ingredients. I mean quality bourbons with demerara syrup, luxardo cherries, and good bitters. I mean they don't stock sour mix at all. I mean places that use lime juice and simple and don't stock Rose's sweetened lime.

I mean a place that if I ask for a classic daiquiri they won't look for strawberries and slush. A place that if I order a gimlet they will ask gin or vodka and what brand I prefer.

Maybe a place that asks if I want my old fashioned muddled or just stirred. A place that knows to never shake a martini unless a spy from Britain enters.

A place the dry shakes a drink with egg whites before the ice is added for shaking.

A place that has real grenadine, not Rose's red high fructose corn syrup.

Now, for the posts about to come... I know not to drink and drive. I know I drink too much. I know all about that stuff. I'm not looking for happy hours. I'm looking for quality. Bartenders that have come up with their own cocktails that make sense based on ingredients.

I want bartenders that measure! I want balanced cocktails.

Okay, so I did get all of the above at Harvest from a couple of bartenders. So far that is my favorite for drinks, but the food, while okay, not my favorite.

I've had good luck and bad luck at Bluefin. Once they used Rose's Sweetened Lime in my gimlet. I guess I can't fault them since classically it's made with lime cordial. But since's Rose's is crap it's better to have lime juice and simple syrup.

Oh and I'm actually okay with bottled lime juice or lemon juice. I'm not a drink snob after all.

Over a decade ago I dated a woman who, like me, appreciated properly mixed drinks. I read books on well made cocktails, and every weekend I would make us each one, using only fresh ingredients and the best liquors and following the recipe carefully. Then we rated the results. We each gave five stars to several cocktails. Those were added to the list. Some got four stars, or one four and one five. In that case we would discuss where the cocktail fell short and try to improve it. It might need another 1/4 oz. of this or that. Sometimes we developed a five star recipe. Sometimes we failed. Our favorites included the Last Word, the Widow’s Kiss, and a good Negroni. I like cocktails with very complex herbal liquors, like green chartreuse (not yellow) and Benedictine. A good cocktail should always be sipped slowly and savored. Never a mouthful. The only vermouth allowed in the house should be Carpano Antica. No other will do.

Try the Caipirinha, the national cocktail of Brazil. It MUST be made with Cachaça, not rum. (2 oz. of Cachaça, 1 tsp sugar, one lime, quartered, with sugar and lime muddled.)

Martini? 2 1/2 oz of Tanqueray #10 (not the regular Tanqueray), 1/2 oz of Carpano Antica. Thoroughly stirred or shaken.

But the original Martini was sweeter and also delicious. 2 1/4 oz of gin. 3/4 oz of sweet vermouth. Dash of orange bitters. Try it!

Mojito? 2 oz of light rum, 1 oz of lime juice, fresh-squeezed only, 2 tsp sugar, 4-6 sprigs of long-leaf mint. Muddle the sugar and mint with 1/2 oz of soda. Add lime and rum. Top with another 1/2 oz of soda. (Most mojitos are ruined with too much soda.)

Some drinks were never five star, and we weren’t able to ever make them worth drinking. Top of the list for drinks not worth drinking? The Cosmopolitan. Sex on the Beach. I’ve never had a good one.

Best fast drink for guzzling? Sobieski Vodka (better than Tito’s and much cheaper) and San Pellegrino Pompelmo (grapefruit) soda. A can of the latter and three or four ounces of the former. That is the only soda worth mixing with vodka. I have to order cases of it from Amazon, as it is hard to find here. That is the ONLY San Pellegrino worth tasting, and I mean the soda, not the flavored waters. It has the bitter taste of real grapefruit membranes.

I don’t know of any great bars around here that mix drinks accurately and use only fresh ingredients. Make your own!

[frayedends]

Originally Posted by crash

You left off you want it for $5 and only drink during happy hour. Most bars can give you what you want just ask and pay. Places that charge $11 to $15 in the Villages are closed.

I did specify I’m not looking for happy hour. I expect to pay for quality.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by MandoMan

Over a decade ago I dated a woman who, like me, appreciated properly mixed drinks. I read books on well made cocktails, and every weekend I would make us each one, using only fresh ingredients and the best liquors and following the recipe carefully. Then we rated the results. We each gave five stars to several cocktails. Those were added to the list. Some got four stars, or one four and one five. In that case we would discuss where the cocktail fell short and try to improve it. It might need another 1/4 oz. of this or that. Sometimes we developed a five star recipe. Sometimes we failed. Our favorites included the Last Word, the Widow’s Kiss, and a good Negroni. I like cocktails with very complex herbal liquors, like green chartreuse (not yellow) and Benedictine. A good cocktail should always be sipped slowly and savored. Never a mouthful. The only vermouth allowed in the house should be Carpano Antica. No other will do.

Try the Caipirinha, the national cocktail of Brazil. It MUST be made with Cachaça, not rum. (2 oz. of Cachaça, 1 tsp sugar, one lime, quartered, with sugar and lime muddled.)

Martini? 2 1/2 oz of Tanqueray #10 (not the regular Tanqueray), 1/2 oz of Carpano Antica. Thoroughly stirred or shaken.

But the original Martini was sweeter and also delicious. 2 1/4 oz of gin. 3/4 oz of sweet vermouth. Dash of orange bitters. Try it!

Mojito? 2 oz of light rum, 1 oz of lime juice, fresh-squeezed only, 2 tsp sugar, 4-6 sprigs of long-leaf mint. Muddle the sugar and mint with 1/2 oz of soda. Add lime and rum. Top with another 1/2 oz of soda. (Most mojitos are ruined with too much soda.)

Some drinks were never five star, and we weren’t able to ever make them worth drinking. Top of the list for drinks not worth drinking? The Cosmopolitan. Sex on the Beach. I’ve never had a good one.

Best fast drink for guzzling? Sobieski Vodka (better than Tito’s and much cheaper) and San Pellegrino Pompelmo (grapefruit) soda. A can of the latter and three or four ounces of the former. That is the only soda worth mixing with vodka. I have to order cases of it from Amazon, as it is hard to find here. That is the ONLY San Pellegrino worth tasting, and I mean the soda, not the flavored waters. It has the bitter taste of real grapefruit membranes.

I don’t know of any great bars around here that mix drinks accurately and use only fresh ingredients. Make your own!

Yep. Definitely not a "drink snob"

[Priebehouse]

Mixing Popov and Tang ain't your thang?

[seecapecod]

Originally Posted by frayedends

I mean, the best bartenders, and the best ingredients. I mean quality bourbons with demerara syrup, luxardo cherries, and good bitters. I mean they don't stock sour mix at all. I mean places that use lime juice and simple and don't stock Rose's sweetened lime.

I mean a place that if I ask for a classic daiquiri they won't look for strawberries and slush. A place that if I order a gimlet they will ask gin or vodka and what brand I prefer.

Maybe a place that asks if I want my old fashioned muddled or just stirred. A place that knows to never shake a martini unless a spy from Britain enters.

A place the dry shakes a drink with egg whites before the ice is added for shaking.

A place that has real grenadine, not Rose's red high fructose corn syrup.

Now, for the posts about to come... I know not to drink and drive. I know I drink too much. I know all about that stuff. I'm not looking for happy hours. I'm looking for quality. Bartenders that have come up with their own cocktails that make sense based on ingredients.

I want bartenders that measure! I want balanced cocktails.

Okay, so I did get all of the above at Harvest from a couple of bartenders. So far that is my favorite for drinks, but the food, while okay, not my favorite.

I've had good luck and bad luck at Bluefin. Once they used Rose's Sweetened Lime in my gimlet. I guess I can't fault them since classically it's made with lime cordial. But since's Rose's is crap it's better to have lime juice and simple syrup.

Oh and I'm actually okay with bottled lime juice or lemon juice. I'm not a drink snob after all.

There was an amazing bar and bartender in San Francisco where we experienced this- Bluefin? Harvest? The Villages? Nope.

[Shipping up to Boston]

Originally Posted by Priebehouse

Mixing Popov and Tang ain't your thang?

First Tang reference of 2024! America’s original ‘energy’ drink!

[msilagy]

It's sad to say TV is not the place to find the cocktails you desire. Big cities with really fine dining (not in TV although they may pretend they are) Sorry!

[airstreamingypsy]

I've never understood the thirst for mixed cocktails..... this gal likes Stella beer, some wines and Tito's vodka neat.

[Ptmcbriz]

You should start a refined drink club and we meet one evening a week with members alternating hosting at their homes. Each week is a different targeted drink.

[Stu from NYC]

Considering what mixed drinks cost these days one would have hoped better quality and consistency

[bruce213]

Try the 1960s. Look for Don Draper.

[Robojo]

Originally Posted by Vickim

Your looking for hand crafted cocktails don’t think you will find anything handcrafted in The Villages , unfortunately. Well, maybe Anglers club!
Which proves the folks that run Havana, Lopez and a few other restaurants ,ran by same folks, are capable but lacking the desire for quality.

This highlights what I have been trying to point out to people at the pool. There is no real luxury in the villages. There is no real service in the villages. Heck there ain't even a towel service at the pool. Even the Marriott has that.

You're looking for quality. And you're not going to find it here.

[frayedends]

Originally Posted by Ptmcbriz

You should start a refined drink club and we meet one evening a week with members alternating hosting at their homes. Each week is a different targeted drink.

That is a great idea. When I’m full time I will do that.

[NotGolfer]

Funny how folks come from Big Cities and look for high-end everything. Food (restaurants) shopping, now alcoholic beverages. I bet most were like us when they came looking and those things weren't on "the list" of must haves. IF cost isn't a factor then maybe drive to one of Florida's big cities.

[Ecuadog]

Originally Posted by MandoMan

... Our favorites included the Last Word, the Widow’s Kiss, and a good Negroni. ...

Try the Caipirinha, the national cocktail of Brazil. It MUST be made with Cachaça, not rum. ...

I like cocktails too. I hope you don't mind me asking...

1. Which Gin do you use for a Negroni (with the Campari and the Carpano Antica) and do you keep it at equal parts each?

2. Which Cachaça do you prefer?

3. Did you ever come up with a five star Manhattan?

Thanks.