Side Err

I think most of us can relate to times when you just need a drunk.  And another.  And possibly another?  Most of us have an off switch, and most of us can just go with the flow on those occasions, possibly regret it the next day, and put some distance before the next time.  

Since I started cocktailing, many years ago, I actually think I drink less alcohol than I used to.  Just pouring another glass of wine, then another, and, oh go on then, why not to another still.  But the art, and yes it is an art, of cocktailing takes time.  And it demands attention and often patience to savour your creation.  On Fridays, I might follow our first cocktail very closely with another, and then have a glass of wine, and often I’ll stop at that.  I know that some people would be under the table after the second cocktail, but of course practice makes perfect…

So where am I going with all of this?

Sometimes, when you feel a good session coming on, I almost makes sense to go in with a killer cocktail first off. Take the edge off the need to get drunk.  My favourite cocktails are usually short, sharp, contain citrus or a syrup so that in each cocktail, you’re likely to have a maximum of 2oz of alcohol in your glass.  They’re much less than a glass of wine.  Especially a home poured glass of wine!

And then there are the killer cocktails that are just *all* the alcohol.  Sometimes that is reflected in a smaller volume of liquid in your glass, making you properly savour what you have and a standard vodka martini or a Widows Kiss are great examples of that.  But sometimes, when your mixer is also alcohol, you kust know they mean business right from the onset.  

The Side Err is one of these.  

It is definitely *all* the alcohol.  

So if you are in need of a big hitter, then pour each of your ingredients straight into a rocks glass full to the brim with ice.  

1oz calvados

0.25oz vodka

Dash peaty single malt

Dry apple cider

Give the ingredients a little stir before you pour your cider in.  Take a sip and then stand well back before your next one.  This is one mighty cocktail.  Mighty.  

Stone Wheel

Patron, those purveyors of tequila that should be everybody’s first choice, have an annual competition for bartenders extraordinaire to be recognised as Patron Perfectionists.  This year I managed to catch it in time to actually participate in the judging.  But as usual, given that mine is not a professional bar set up, I’ve had to substitute the occasional ingredient or two.  So although I will definitely be submitting a vote, it will only be relative to how ‘home bar friendly’ their entry is.  

The first to be put to the test is a Stone Wheel, from Yoann Tarditi of The Lobby Bar.  

Apart from actually having all of the ingredients (or as near as damn it), I particularly liked the use of cider as a mixer.  If you have all of these ingredients you might be in time to submit your own vote here.  

Half fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add everything except the cider:

40ml Patron Reposado 

5ml Green Chartreuse

7.5ml vanilla syrup

7.5ml ginger syrup

20ml lime juice

60ml cider

Shake it all hard, strain into a Collins glass full of ice, and top with the cider.  

As an amateur cocktailer, I can honestly never be bothered with ingredients in such small volumes like a bit more than a medicine spoon, usually, but I made myself stick to it on this occasion, and actually, I can kind of see that it worked.  But in all honesty, this wasn’t a cocktail that knocked my socks off.  It was refreshing.  And it did have a fair bit of alcohol in it, but it didn’t taste like it.  

I’m not sure it will get my vote, but would it get yours?