Tag: Cocktails

Van Gogh Vodka BARtist of the Year!

So… life got a little crazy there for a moment and the blog took a backseat to real life events.  But, I’ve been writing and documenting all of my #research outings and amazing travel that has made up one of the busiest and most rewarding October/November I’ve ever had. 

So, with that being said let’s get this blog back on track! 

I attended my first live competition, the Van Gogh Vodka BARtist of the year in Charleston, SC and it was AMAZING! 

I’m one of those people who really likes airports- so everything from the travel to the food, to the (many) Van Gogh cocktails it was a whirlwind adventure and I loved every second of it! 

I had the BEST calamari of my life at Amen Street Fish and Raw Bar- they called it Calamari Steak and it had such a firm, meaty texture I can see why!  It was lightly fried and perfectly crispy and paired perfectly with the Blackened Shrimp. 

Next we met with a few people for drinks back at the hotel bar… the hotel, the Spectator, it was one of the nicest places I have ever stayed!  I had a Van Gogh Acai-Blueberry and soda and my Partner in Crime had a Palmetto Amber, which he really enjoyed.

Dinner followed at a local seafood joint where raw oysters were in abundance (but I still can’t talk myself into trying one) and I devoured my Shrimp and Grits.  I finished the meal with a Van Gogh Double Espresso over ice.  And then it was off to the hotel for a relaxing bath and a Banana Bread dessert shot that was left by the butler followed by a fabulous night sleep before the competition day!

Our butler (yes, a real butler!) delivered our breakfast bright and early!  Ham and Cheese biscuits, hard boiled eggs, fresh fruit, coffee, and juice as we sat lounged in the room.  A perfect start to the big day! 

I arrived at the event space, 5 Faber, a beautiful space owned by Halls Chophouse right on time and got busy prepping for the event!  Us three finalists made each made a big batch of our drinks to serve to the event guests.  We did a practice round/filmed version for the promotional team to use and then had a quick interview with Chilled Magazine.  Then it was time for the main event!

I was NERVOUS!  It was my first competition!  And I hate to admit it, but I definitely let my nerves get to me… I learned so much on this trip and I met some amazing people!  I hope to be back next year (I’m already brainstorming drink ideas!). 

My co-finalists both had delicious cocktails and wonderful presentations- it truly was an honor to be one of the three finalists! Congratulations to J.A. Harrison for taking home the win!

“Something Fruity” Part 1

One of the biggest requests that I get while bartending is “I want something fruity!  I want it strong but I DON’t want to taste the alcohol!!!”  In my mind I’m thinking, “Well, I’ve never met you before and I have no idea what you like or don’t like or might be allergic to…. But sure, let me whip you up something AMAZING! (Insert eyeroll here.)”

One of the first tips I’ve given to the bartenders I’ve trained is to have a couple of “fruity” drinks ready to suggest.  They can be some old standbys like a Sex on the Beach or a Malibu and Pineapple OR you can take this opportunity to create a signature offering. 

One of my signature “something fruity” options is the Dragonfly.  One of my favorite flavored rums is the Bacardi Dragonberry.  It’s a Dragonfruit and Strawberry flavor that is fruity without being cloying or overpowering and it mixes well with tons of things.  Plus almost everyone likes rum.  Rum is a fantastic base for so many drinks.  (And who doesn’t love a good rum & coke?) The Triple Sec gives it another layer of Citrus without adding anymore tartness.  The sour mix keeps it from being too sweet.  The Cranberry Juice is a familiar ingredient in the “something fruity” category of drinks.  Plus it makes the drink a really pretty color!     

I call this the Dragonfly.  There is no great story behind the name.  I’m really, REALLY bad at naming my drinks and one night I had to think of something to call it, so Dragonfly it was! 

  • Dragonfly
  • *Build this directly in a Collins Glass (10 ounce glass, or close to that) filled with ice
  • 1.5 ounces Bacardi Dragonberry
  • 1 ounce Triple Sec
  • Splash of Sour Mix
  • Top with Cranberry Juice
  • Stir to Combine and Enjoy!

Elvis’s Perfect Patròn Margarita

Ibiscus Frizzante

A couple of weeks ago I posted about my entry, the Ibiscus Frizzante, into the Patròn Perfectionist competition.  This was only the second competition I entered.  It was a fun process developing this cocktail (I think all of my taste testers enjoyed the process as well!) 

I am ECSTATIC to announce that I have been chosen to compete in the Regional Finals!  In November I will be flying to New York to compete against 7 other incredibly talented bartenders!  I am so excited!  I am SO nervous!  This is such an incredible opportunity and I am so lucky to be a part of this worldwide competition!

In honor of my amazing news I wanted to share my Perfect Patròn Margarita.  I used the Reposado for this because I enjoy the richness it gives the drink and I think the fresh ingredients highlight the complexity of the tequila. If you prefer the Silver, then use the Silver. This is MY Perfect Marg- yours may be different, and that is perfectly ok! If you have read any of my other recipes you know that the sweetness/tartness of many of my recipes can be adjusted to your own taste, and this one is no exception.  I prefer my margaritas to be a bit on the tart side but if you prefer yours sweeter just add a bit more Agave Nectar.  The same goes for salt/sugar on the rim of the glass.  I don’t care for either one, but if you do then you should go for it! 

  • Elvis’s Perfect Patròn Margarita
  • 1.5 ounces Patròn Reposado
  • 1 ounce Cointreau
  • 1 ounce Agave Nectar (get the good stuff, 100% Agave, it’s worth it!)
  • .5 ounce Fresh Lime Juice
  • .5 ounce Fresh Lemon Juice
  • Shake with ice, pour into your favorite glass, add a slice of lime and enjoy!

See you in NYC Patròn!

National Lemonade Day!

National Lemonade Day is August 20!

It’s August.  It’s hot.  Very, very hot.  A cool glass of Lemonade is the perfect way to cool down.  But not just regular Lemonade, when you add homemade Strawberry Syrup and Deep Eddy Peach Vodka it is OUT OF THIS WORLD good!!!  I first created this drink (without the vodka) for a Gender Reveal Party for my brother and sister-in-law.  It was a hit!  So when I recreated it for my bar I decided to name the drink in honor of my niece- Isabelle.  Isabelle’s Lemonade has been a big hit this summer and I hope you like it!

For the Lemonade, you can make your own or buy it premade. Either one works, just make sure you REALLY like how it tastes. If you want to make your own, here is my favorite recipe. I keep it a little on the tart side because the Strawberry Syrup and Peach Vodka will be adding more sweetness to the finished drink.

  • LEMONADE
  • 3/4 Cup Sugar
  • 1 Cup Water
  • 1 Cup Lemon Juice
  • Combine the Sugar and Water in a pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to combine. Once all the sugar is dissolved remover from heat and let cool.
  • You can juice your own lemons, it will take approximately 6 lemons to get one cup of juice. Or just buy some. I love the Santa Cruz Organics lemon juice.
  • In a Pitcher combine your cooled Simple Syrup with the Lemon Juice.
  • Add 2 Cups Cold Water and stir to combine. Give it a taste, you can add a little more water if you’d like. Remember we will be adding a Strawberry Syrup to this as well.
  • Store in the fridge until you are ready to use.
  • STRAWBERRY SIMPLE SYRUP
  • 1 lb ripe Strawberries, rinsed
  • 3/4 Cup Sugar
  • 2 Cups Water
  • Cut the greens off the strawberries and quarter them.
  • Place the berries, sugar, and water in a pot and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
  • Reduce heat to a simmer and allow to reduce for about 30 minutes.
  • Cool for 10 minutes and then pour through a fine mesh strainer into a container and store in fridge until ready to use.
  • This syrup is fantastic in cocktails, desserts, on pancakes- the possibilities really are endless!
  • ISABELLE’S LEMONADE
  • 1.5 ounces Deep Eddy Peach Vodka
  • 3 ounces Strawberry Syrup
  • 6 ounces Lemonade
  • Grab your favorite 16 ounce glass and add all ingredients to it. Add Ice and stir to combine. Garnish with a lemon slice and enjoy!

RUM- It’s Not Just for Pirates!

RUM!!!!

August 16 is National Rum Day…. As if we needed an excuse to indulge in some delicious Rum drinks!  For years my go-to vacation drink was a Captain and Coke.  To this day it is still my fallback plan if I ever freeze up at a bar.  When I was 19 years old Bacardi had a low-proof Lime flavor and Diet Coke had just released a Lime flavor- it was a match made in heaven for my little underaged heart.

Over the years I’ve had a lot of fun with rum.  And Bacardi relaunched a high-proof version Lime Rum, so for National Rum Day I wanted to use it to make the BEST cocktail to close out your summer with!

It’s slightly labor intensive, but oh so worth it!  It would be very easy to triple or quadruple the recipe to make a Punch for a pool party. 

  • Watermelon Crawl-
  • 1.5 ounces Bacardi Lime
  • 5 ounces Watermelon Juice
  • A drizzle of Blackberry Nectar
  • Garnish with a slice of Lime or Blackberry or Watermelon slice (or all three!) and enjoy!

Watermelon Juice- Select the best looking Watermelon you can find- Black Diamond varieties are my favorite, but are not always available.  To save yourself a little bit of work, pick a seedless.  Once you found your perfect melon, cut it off the rind and into chunks (watch out for seeds!) and cram the chunks into a blender.  Put the lid on the blender and pulse a few times.  It won’t take long at all.  When it looks like a liquid stop pulsing.  Then pour it through a fine mesh strainer to remover any pulp and wayward seeds. 

Now let’s talk Mojitos.  What a classic cocktail!  A few years ago they came flooding back into popularity, even though they never really did go out of style.  I mean, who doesn’t love that crisp lime flavor balanced with sweet mint?  The only thing I REALLY don’t like about Mojitos is when the mint is muddled in the glass leaving a murky, swampy looking drink.  Plus who wants to worry about a stray piece of mint getting caught in your teeth?  So I prefer to make my Mojitos with a Mint Simple Syrup… yes, ok this adds a few more steps to the recipe.  BUT, you can make a large batch of the syrup and use it in other things- Iced Tea, Desserts, Other Cocktails, that sort of thing.  Plus when you make your own Simple Syrup YOU get to decide just how sweet you make it.  Ok, here we go!

  • Mojito-
    •  1.5 ounces Bacardi Silver
  • 1.5 ounces Mint Syrup (or more for a sweeter drink)
  • Splash of Lime Juice (Fresh juice or Roses Lime both work, just a matter of preference)
  • Build and Serve Over Ice, Stir to Combine and Top with Club Soda.  Garnish with a Slice of Lime and Sprig of Mint

I hope you enjoy these cocktails and National Rum Day!  What are some of your favorite Rum Drinks?

  • Mint Simple Syrup-
  • 2 Cups Water. If you like your tap water, go ahead and use that. If you don’t like your tap water please use your favorite bottled water.
  • 1 Cup Pure Can Sugar. A traditional simple service has a 1:1 water to sugar ratio. I prefer a less sweet cocktail, but feel free to increase the sugar ratio if you like a sweeter drink.
  • Bring to a Boil to dissolve the sugar and add 5-6 sprigs of Mint and remover from heat.
  • Let the Mint steep for 20-30 minutes and then strain into a container, and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Patròn Perfectionist

I’ve been in the hospitality industry for a while now but it’s been the last few years that I’ve transitioned (as has the venue where I work) from high volume, shot-slinging kind of bartending into creating more intricate, well thought out libations.  When I create a new drink menu for a bar event, I try to keep it approachable and the ingredients recognizable.  I keep in mind that we are still a high volume bar.  I’ll play around with high-end ingredients, top shelf liquors and in-season fruits and vegetables.  On a typical bar menu of mine, you won’t find too many “muddled” ingredients, but you will find homemade Simple Syrups, Reductions, and Infusions.  I do my best to keep my event recipes streamlined and fairly quick to produce.

When I enter a competition, that is when I break out the muddler.  I triple shake and double strain the cocktails.  I hand craft my garnishes.  I slowly layer each ingredient.  The competitions are where I get to get a little weird with the ingredients.  Where I can try a new technique.  I love it.

When I entered to Patròn Perfectionist Competition, the only specification I had to follow was use Patròn Silver, Reposado, or Anejo.  After some trial and error I decided to use the Silver and slowly my Perfectionist Creation was born. 

Ibiscus Frizzante

2 ounces of Patron Silver

  • 3-4 Dried Hibiscus Blossoms
  • 1 scant Bar Spoon of Lemon Curd
  • 1/2 ounce Lemon Juice
  • 2 1/2 ounces Peach Nectar
  • 2 drops of Orange Bitters
  • 2 1/2 ounces Martini & Rossi Prosecco

Place Patron Silver and Hibiscus Blossoms in a tumbler and stir.In a Shaker combine the Lemon Curd, Lemon Juice, Peach Nectar, and Orange Bitters.  Add ice and shake vigorously to combine. Strain the Patron Silver into the Shaker and stir to combine. Double Strain into a Flute and top with Martini & Rossi Prosecco

My inspiration for this drink came from my hometown, Cincinnati Ohio which is a beautiful place.  We experience the best of all four seasons, from crisp snowy wintes to hot humid summers.  I was inspired by a Cincinnati Summer in my mothers yard.  Most of the early summer was spent helping her transform our yard from the bright new greens of spring to a wonderland of color!  Our humid summers are perfect for a tropical plants, like Hibiscus.  I was always drawn to the bright, oversized blooms- and so were the bees and hummingbirds.  As I grew older I started drinking Hibiscus tea, with a squeeze of lemon, and the aroma always brought me back to those summer days. 

We would go Peach picking at a local farm, and the Peaches would be so juicy we had to eat them outside, with the juice dripping down our arms.  Peach and Hibiscus are one of my favorite flavor combinations.

The name, Ibiscus Frizzante, and the Martini & Rossi Prosecco are a nod to my Italian heritage as well as my families love of sparking wine.  Martini and Rossi had been a long time favorite and we mark every holiday, big and small, with a glass.

With this cocktail I’ve found a way to combine a few favorite flavors, and memories, of my Cincinnati Summers.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Welcome!

Hi Everyone! I’m Elvis, the manager of O’Neal’s Tavern. I’ve been a part of the O’Neal’s crew for around 9 years now and over that time I’ve learned a lot! From making my very first Margarita (it was soooo bad) to perfecting my Peach Madras (you HAVE to try one- I love it with Titos or Sauza)! I’ve cultivated my love of craft beer but now that I live a mostly wheat free life I’m enjoying finding cider and gluten free craft options. I still love visiting all of our Cincinnati Breweries and I travel every chance I get! Exploring that great new restaurant down the street or the new-to-me gospel brunch at Stubbs BBQ in Austin, I’m always ready to try new things! So this morning I made myself a cup of coffee in my favorite Cincinnati mug that I bought at the top of Carew Tower and I started writing. I want to share some of my crazy cocktail ideas and wild adventures with all of you! I hope you enjoy!