There is nothing like an expertly crafted Old Fashioned-style cocktail to help you navigate the rapidly changing weather of late March. Since, it is not quite Gin Rickey weather and too warm for a Hot Toddy, a solid whiskey cocktail is just what the Doctor ordered. Now let’s take it to the next level in flavor, taste, and execution. Let me introduce you to the American Trilogy.

The American Trilogy is a cocktail created by barmen extraordinaire Richard Boccato and Michael McIlroy in 2007 at New York’s Little Branch. Trilogy channels the recipe for the old fashioned (spirit, sugar, bitters) and uses two base spirits instead of one. The clever combination unites two classic American liquors and a possible mystery ingredient that create a unique flavor that sets the cocktail apart from other old fashioned derivatives. E pluribus unum!

Let’s start at the beginning: why is this libation called American Trilogy? I recently corresponded with Richard Boccato regarding the nomenclature of the drink. My instincts were spot on about two of Trilogy’s pillars: The spirits, applejack brandy and rye whiskey are American oldest distilled spirits and true originals.

Laird’s Applejack (aka “Jersey Lightning”) is literally America’s oldest distilled spirit and proudly boasts License #1 which William Laird obtained in 1780. Applejack is a brandy distilled from apples and produced by Laird & Company in Scobeyville, New Jersey. The Bonded version of Applejack is 100 proof (50 alcohol) and bottled in “bond”. In other words, this stronger proof version of applejack, typically 80 proof, comes from one distilling season and is held in a US Government bonded warehouse for a set amount of years, then bottled at 100 proof. This designation is a mark of quality.

A solid Rye whiskey like Rittenhouse 100 stands up to the fortitude of the bonded Applejack. According to Heaven Hill distillery of Bardstown, Kentucky, Rittenhouse 100 is distilled in the tradition of the classic Pennsylvania rye whiskey. This style of rye was once as common as vodka in the American landscape. Rittenhouse is also bottle in bond (100 proof), which secures a smooth, buttery, robust and spicy flavor with a strong finish.

The third pillar of Trilogy is up for conjecture. Richard was kind enough to share his insights on the possible meaning.

“The third piece of the puzzle is somewhat of an elusive mystery at this point–even to me. One explanation could be that the third major ingredient in the cocktail (orange bitters) is of “American” origins? However, given the fact that our house orange bitters is a 1:1 blend of Fee Bros. and Regan’s–since the Fees were originally from Ireland (like [co-drink creator Michael “Micky” McIlroy]) and like Micky they made their bones in America, and Gaz Regan’s bitters were made in America (but he wasn’t)…then are the orange bitters really (are) a third “American” ingredient? … The drink appears to taste good enough with just two legitimate “American” ingredients, so maybe we should just leave it at that.”

So, it could be the orange bitters or a nod to America’s immigrant innovators or it could be that the Old Fashioned is the granddaddy of the American cocktails! No matter what theory, the point is that this cocktail is genuinely exquisite in taste and honors good ole’ American ingenuity! Besides who doesn’t love a little bit of mystery?!

American Trilogy
By R. Boccato & M. McIlroy

1 oz Rittenhouse 100 Bonded Rye
1 oz Laird’s Bonded Applejack Brandy
1-2 dashes of Fee Brothers orange bitters
1-2 dashes of Regan’s orange bitters
Brown sugar cube
Orange peel

Tools: bar spoon, jigger, pairing knife, whiskey glass

Build drink in a whiskey glass. Saturate the sugar cube with the bitters, and gently muddle in order to create a slightly granulated paste. Then add rye and applejack bandy and a large chunk of cracked ice. Then taking a bar spoon, carefully stir the mixer until well chilled. Cut a fresh orange peel and extract the oils over the drink, then garnish.

Insider’s note: In addition to being a favorite on the menu at Sasha Petraske’s bars, such as Dutch Kills Bar and Little Branch, the American Trilogy is also served at notable establishments such as NYC’s favorite Momokufu Ssam Bar.

*Got a cocktail question? Reach Fredo on twitter @loungerati, email me at fredo(at)loungerati(dot)com, or simply comment below!

**Fredo Ceraso is the editor-at-large of the lounge lifestyle blog Loungerati.com. He is head cocktailian and a co-producer of The Salon parties. Fredo is a member of the USBG New York chapter and rolls drinks at many Lounge, Swing, Jazz Age, & Burlesque events in New York City.

***Payman Bahmani will return in April for his weekly Happy Hour column and is honored to have Fredo tend the bar while away.

Looking for an angle when writing about a cocktail is for me the most time consuming–and sometimes agonozing–aspect of blogging.  Well, today I’m dispensing with the longwinded introductions about the reasons for talking about a particular cocktail, and instead featuring a cocktail for no reasons other than it’s deliciousness, and the fact that it’s a drink I’m mixing for myself on a fairly regular basis.  It’s my cocktail of the moment, and there’s a decent chance it’ll become yours too.

The cocktail is called the Coronation, and it is one of several cocktails bearing the same name, each with a completely different set of ingredients.  The recipe below is probably the first of the Coronations created, and also one of the best.

The Coronation
1 oz. applejack
1 oz. sweet vermouth (I used Vya)
1 oz. dry vermouth (Dolin works nicely)
1 dash (oh what the hell, a splash) apricot liqueur (I used Rothman & Winter)

Tools: barspoon, mixing glass, strainer
Glass: chilled cocktail glass or coupe

Place everything in mixing glass with cracked ice and stir until well mixed and chilled; strain into your glass.  A garnish isn’t necessary in this drink, but I chose to garnish with a calvados-soaked pomme (mini apple).

I treat the apricot liqueur in this drink as a variable that can and should be adjusted to your preference, while treating the remaining items as well-balanced constants. So while I use a healthy dash, feel free to use the amount that suits your palate.

This iteration of the Coronation makes its first print appearance in a 1931 cocktail recipe book called Old Waldorf Bar Days by Albert Crockett. The book was a recipe-filled chronicle of the history of the original Waldorf Astoria built in 1893, when it was located where the Empire State Building now stands.  Despite the book’s publication date, all the cocktails found within were created and served at the old hotel’s bar prior to Prohibition.  The Coronation recipe above was created to commemorate the 1902 crowning of King Edward VII, which likely gives it seniority over the numerous other cocktails with the same moniker, the recipes for which can be found here, here, here, here, and here. 

As you can see from all the recipes, there was lots of competition for the crown–I guess royalty was all the rage back then–but the recipe above is the true king.

Here’s to drinking like one.

*Got a cocktail question? Hit me on twitter @paystyle, email me at payman(at)lifesacocktail(dot)com, or simply drop me a comment below.

Perhaps you were thinking that the cocktails presented here in Happy Hour are too fussy. And perchance you wondered if there are drinks you could make that could astonish your tastebuds without inducing exhaustion from the process. You do, after all, have lots to do until the end of the year–plan the Thanks-stealing menu, prepare the food, tidy up the home for the guests, do your gift shopping, etc, etc, etc.

Well sometimes those same thoughts cross my mind as well. To that end, I thought this week would be a great opportunity to share some drink recipes that pair wonderfully with your dearth of free time–drinks I created that are simple combos of a soda and a spirit. A couple of them are so simple that you could let your guests make their own while you do your thing in the kitchen, and a couple involve just a little more prep time (but still not much) if you find yourself up for it.

And you need not worry about measuring with too much precision either, as all the recipes call for the amount of spirits you find most suitable–for me about an ounce of liquor does it, as I like to keep them light and refreshing. Best of all you won’t need any shakers or other paraphernalia other than something to stir with. Just remember to use quality sodas (no artificial flavors, colors, or corn syrup).

Grape & Grain (above left)
Rye whiskey (Old Overholt is a great inexpensive choice)
Grape soda (used Fizzy Lizzy)

Fill highball glass with ice and pour in the whiskey. Top with the soda and give a light stir.

It’s really amazing how the rye and grape soda combine in this drink to produce the distinct flavor of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on rye bread. You really have to try it for yourself.

The Double Apple (above right)
Laird’s Applejack
Apple soda (Fizzy Lizzy or Martinelli’s sparkling cider works well)
Fee Brothers Rhubarb Bitters

Fill highball glass with ice and pour in the applejack. Add a dash of the bitters, top with soda, and lightly stir.

Caribbean Cherry (above right)
Anejo rum (El Dorado 15 Yr is magnificent here)
Cherry soda (used Sparkling Italian Cherry soda from Whole Foods’ 365 brand)
Splash of lime juice

You know the drill by now. Rum to taste and soda to top. Don’t forget the splash of fresh lime.

Although you can use a light rum, a quality aged rum like El Dorado 15 takes the drink into another stratosphere. Equally important is the soda you use–as with all the recipes here–as the flavor of real cherry juice is essential.

Improved Greyhound (above left)
Vodka
Grapefruit soda (Fizzy Lizzy makes a great unsweetened soda)
Rosemary-honey syrup (recipe below)
Fee Brothers Grapefruit Bitters

Same routine as above with the addition of 1/2 ounce of rosemary-honey syrup and a dash of the bitters.

This is the fanciest that it gets, which is not really fancy at all. The rosemary-honey syrup recipe below takes about 15 minutes to make, as you’ll see below. And you can batch everything except the soda ahead of time for easy service for guests.

Rosemary-honey syrup
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup honey
3-4 tablespoons dried rosemary

Put rosemary and water in small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Strain out the rosemary and mix the honey with the water until completely diluted. Pour into a bottle and keep in the refrigerator until ready to use.

These drinks are all essentially highballs, which are basically drinks comprised of a spirit and a mixer (traditionally soda water). They are simple recipes with big rewards. They allow you to create intriguing flavor combinations in a short of amount of time, and will have your guests regarding you as a mixological wiz in the process.

Nowadays there are so many new, interesting flavors of artisinal sodas on the market that you can easily come up with a combination of your own. Besides, it’s high time your soda received a serious upgrade, and trust me your guests and your tastebuds will both be thankful for it. Cheers!

*Got a cocktail question? Hit me on twitter @paystyle, email me at payman(at)lifesacocktail(dot)com, or simply drop me a comment below!

**Paystyle was born in Tehran and grew up in Los Angeles (aka Tehrangeles) before moving to Brooklyn with his wife and co-pilot Vanessa Bahmani who provides the stunning photography of Pay’s cocktail concoctions. Return every Wednesday for his weekly Happy Hour column.

Wow that swine flu is a momofuku! Actually I’m not sure what I was afflicted with last week, but it was unrelenting. I actually didn’t feel completely well until late this morning. So needless to say, I offer apologies again for the absence of Happy Hour last week, and hope to make up for it (and then some) with this week’s drink.

The drink I’ve created for this week is the Rustic Pear. It’s evident that having the influenza was an influence on this drink, as it’s exactly the type of drink I’d want to sip when under the weather. Unlike most cocktails this is a drink best enjoyed warm–and preferably near a fireplace, preferably among friends. It is the type of warming serum that’s soothing to the sick soul.

If you enjoy an Apple Toddy or simply Bourbon and hot apple cider, you should find favor with this one as well. The base spirit is Applejack, an American apple brandy distilled from Apple cider and similar to French Calvados. It’s also flavored with a poached pear puree spiced with vanilla and cardamom, with a bit of honey-essenced Drambuie tossed in for good measure. I provide the recipe for a group because ’tis the season for such affairs, and because I think it’s best enjoyed in the company of friends–if you’re having a dinner party, this drink is best served as a post-prandial offering.

Rustic Pear (approx 6 servings)
1 1/4 cups Laird’s Applejack
1 cup poached pear puree (recipe below)
1/2 cup Drambuie
Lemon wedges

Place everything but the lemons in a saucepan or small pot and heat sowly over a low flame (if you turn the heat too high, you’ll quickly evaporate the spirit). Ladle into individual mugs, squeeze a bit of lemon juice, and enjoy!

Poached Pear Puree
10-12 ripe pears, peeled and cut into thick slices (I used combination of Bartlett, Red Bartlett, Green Anjou, and Concorde)
Sweet vermouth (enough to cover the pears)
1 vanilla bean
1 tsp ground green cardamom

Grab a saucepan or pot large enough to hold the pears and pour in the sweet vermouth. Slice open the vanilla, scrape out the guts and mix it in the vermouth along with the cardamom. Bring the poaching liquid to a simmer over medium heat. Add the pears, reduce heat to low, and poach until pears are soft, which can take anywhere between 15-30 minutes depending on ripeness, size, and variety of pears used (the key is for the pears to be fully immersed in the poaching liquid). Remove the pears and puree them in a blender until smooth.

At this point you can use the puree immediately or refrigerate for future use. If you’re going to refrigerate, simply add a small amount of lemon juice to prevent the puree from browning.

This is a delicious and intensely flavored puree made from poached pears that tastes exactly what you’d expect Autumn to taste like. It tastes great even on its own as an alternative to applesauce. But it is really the key ingredient in this drink so make sure you give this the attention it deserves.

While you can poach your pears in any manner of liquids from coconut milk to beer, I used sweet vermouth as my poaching liquid because I had the end use in mind, as I knew it would add a delicious yet subtle background flavor to the pears when used in the drink. The addition of vanilla bean and green cardamom added a nice touch of warming spice, and would also end up doing their best work in the final drink recipe.

With all the sniffling and sneezing going around it’s all the more clear that we are in full-fledged warm-drink season. And I’m all for it, because you can’t stay relevant if you’re drink is irrelevant to your surroundings, right?

Here’s to surviving this winter without any animal viruses! Cheers!

*Got a cocktail question? Hit me on twitter @paystyle, email me at payman(at)lifesacocktail(dot)com, or simply drop me a comment below!**Paystyle was born in Tehran and grew up in Los Angeles (aka Tehrangeles) before moving to Brooklyn with his wife and co-pilot Vanessa Bahmani. Return every Wednesday for his weekly Happy Hour column.

Today is Mexican Independence Day folks! It’s been too crazy of a day for me, and everything including Happy Hour’s been behind schedule, so I’m keeping today’s post short and to the point.

Mexican Independence Day, also known as El Grito de Dolores, is often incorrectly confused with Cinco de Mayo, which is actually a celebration of Mexico’s defeat of the French army in the late 19th century. Who knows where the confusion started, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the PR folks at Corona had a hand in it. El Grito de Dolores is the name given to the battle cries for independence that were first uttered in the town of Dolores by Mexicans who took up arms against the Spanish in their quest for independence. “Que viva la independencia!” was a common battle cry then, and “Que viva Mexico!” is a common one in modern-day celebrations.

This is also the inspiration for today’s cocktail, El Grito. In creating this cocktail I was also inspired by flavors that would be suitable for imbibing in the fall. The heat has certainly tamed in NYC, and I am a firm believer in drinking in a manner suitable for the occasion and the season.

El Grito
2 oz. anejo tequila
1 oz. Laird’s Applejack (apple brandy)
1/2 oz. sweet vermouth
1 tsp. agave nectar
1 tsp. maple syrup
1 goodly dash Bitter Truth Jerry Thomas’ Bitters
orange twist

Tools: shaker, strainer

Glass: coupe (pictured) or cocktail glass

Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with big lumps of ice and shake while yelling “Que viva Happy Hour!” at the top of your lungs. Strain into your glass and squeeze orange twist over drink to release the oils, then place it as a garnish.

Overall I think the applejack and maple syrup balance nicely with the anejo tequila I used, while still allowing the tequila’s depth of flavor to shine. The sweet vermouth and agave nectar allowed me to balance the sweetness while avoiding an overly maple syrup flavor which can easily dominate the drink.

And last but not least, major-super-truckloads-of-props to Kayoko (que viva Kayoko!) for the bottle of Jerry Thomas’ Bitters, which I like so much that I’ve been waiting for the perfect cocktail to use it in, and that cocktail has finally arrived! Named after “Professor” Jerry Thomas (considered the godfather of American mixology) and based on a recipe of his, these bitters are a fantastic addition to a cocktail like El Grito; the light cinnamon and clove essence work really well with the sweet vermouth–you can also add it to a Manhattan for a twist on the classic.

Now off to celebrate what’s left of the evening. Que viva Umamimart! Que viva Happy Hour!

*Got a cocktail question? Hit me on twitter @paystyle, email me at payman(at)lifesacocktail(dot)com, or simply drop me a comment below!

Paystyle was born in Tehran and grew up in Los Angeles (aka Tehrangeles) before moving to Brooklyn with his wife and co-pilot Vanessa Bahmani who provides the stunning photography of Pay’s cocktail concoctions. Return every Wednesday for his weekly Happy Hour column.