Category: Drink

Drinks with John Fladd: The Paisley Jane

The Paisley Jane

At the risk of oversharing, it seems like when it comes to decision-making I have two settings: overthinking or not thinking at all.

Throughout my life, a series of exasperated parents, bemused drill sergeants and my long-suffering wife have asked me, in varying degrees of anxiety, “What were you THINKING!?” To which, I only have one answer: “Uhhh… what?”

And then, there’s the other extreme.

Sometimes, without warning, I will fall down a rabbit hole of obsession, hyper-focusing on some objectively trivial matter. Last week, after watching a movie where one of the characters had to go on the run and retrieved a “go bag,” I spent hours thinking about what would go in my go bag, how much of what currency should go in it, and how I could inconspicuously buy everything I needed with untraceable cash. Never mind that I would probably never need to flee anywhere, or that I’m too fundamentally lazy and timid to do it if I had to; the fact remains that I spent hours working out an elaborate escape plan. (The secret is to include a Flowbee in the bag, so I can shave my head in a convenience store bathroom, then grow a beard, to blend in with all the other aging hipsters.)

And then, there’s the orgeat. Orgeat (supposedly pronounced “Oor-Jot”) is an almond syrup that is used a lot in tropical drinks to add depth and a sweet fruitiness to the background flavor. I’m mostly alone in this, but I think it tastes a bit like maraschino cherries. People with a more sophisticated palate than mine get very particular about their orgeat, saying that the cheap stuff tastes “artificial.” (I kind of like “artificial”, but they do have a point. The more chi-chi stuff definitely tastes more sophisticated.)

Some people will even go so far as to make their own orgeat.

[There… Right there… Did you hear it? The ominous music in the soundtrack as I start to overthink things?]

I was reading recipes for homemade orgeat — some simple, others much more complex and involved — when I started to wonder about making it from pistachios, rather than almonds. This led to more research than I can really justify, and several trips to the store, for ever-larger amounts of raw pistachios.

In the end, here’s what I came up with:

Pistachio Orgeat
Equal parts, by volume:
• sugar
• water
• raw, shelled pistachios

1. Chop the pistachios in a blender
2. Boil the sugar and water together to make a simple syrup
3. Steep the pistachio crumbs in the syrup for several hours
4. Strain the pistachio solids out, then squeeze

The Paisley Jane
• 2 slices of cucumber
• ½ oz. unsweetened pomegranate or cranberry juice
• 1½ oz. vodka
• 1½ oz. pistachio orgeat
• ½ oz. full fat plain yogurt
• Exactly 3 drops rose water (seriously – no more, no less. Trust me on this.)
• A pinch of sumac powder for garnish (Not optional. See below.)

1. Place the cucumber slices at the bottom of a cocktail shaker, then top them with ice. If you do it this way, you don’t have to muddle or bruise the cucumber. The ice will do it for you.
2. Add all the other ingredients except the sumac.
3. Shake vigorously for longer than you think you actually need to. Remember that you are throwing down a beating on the cucumbers.
4. Strain over ice into a rocks glass or an Old Fashioned glass.
5. Top with a generous pinch of sumac.

A note on sumac: Sumac is a Middle Eastern spice that has a distinct, sour, astringent note to it. It is one of the garnishes called for in the original Hazy Jane recipe. Without it, this pistachio version is missing something. You can buy sumac at any Middle Eastern grocery store or online.
You have to be somewhat obsessive to try this, but the good news is that you won’t have to drastically change your appearance.

Featured photo: Paisley Jane. Photo by John Fladd.

Fine, you can have pumpkin beer now

Who knew pumpkin beer would be such a win?

I saw a reputable brewing company heavily promoting via social media their pumpkin beer’s availability in mid-August — without irony. Seriously. OK, what I’m trying to say is, they were trying to get me jacked up about pumpkin beer while I was in the middle of my summer vacation.

It didn’t work at the time.

And, OK, we’ve all seen pumpkin creep into our lives sooner and sooner each summer and we all have to acknowledge that we as a society here in New England sort of shift to fall overnight, so breweries kind of need to be ready with the pumpkin for that first cool night.

Now that the air is crisp and cool and downright chilly at times, I’m ready to consider the universe of pumpkin-flavored beer. It’s a universe that, to me, is almost diabolical in how hit-or-miss it is. For every one that tastes delicious, you have another that is sugary pumpkin syrup. In beer form, that’s not a good thing.

Enough with the snark; there is something pleasing, comforting and delicious about a well-balanced, spicy, slightly sweet pumpkin ale. First, of course, pumpkins are seasonally appropriate but if brewers are careful with the sugar, it just works really well. But it seems it is hard to amp up the pumpkin without amping up the sweetness.

The success of a pumpkin beer is in its subtleties. You want the aroma of pumpkin and spice. You want a lingering flavor of roasted pumpkin-y goodness but there’s probably a reason why you don’t just see pumpkin juice on the shelves of your local grocery store.

I tend to like a pumpkin beer on the heavier side, like a pumpkin stout or porter, such as Harpoon’s Imperial Pumpkin or a full-bodied Smashed Pumpkin Ale by Shipyard Brewing Co. I think the earthy taste of pumpkin pairs well with rich malts and deep flavors — that way the pumpkin adds to the complexity rather than overpowering the brew.

That said, lighter- and medium-bodied pumpkin brews like Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale or Roadsmary’s Baby by Two Roads Brewing Co. are also quite pleasing. Again, for me, their success is tied directly to subtle sweetness, rather than in-your-face sugar and spice. I do not go for the cinnamon-sugar rim — not because it tastes bad — but if you go that route, regardless of the brew, I just don’t think you are going to actually taste and appreciate the beer; the cinnamon and sugar takes over.

The good news is that you have a lot of choices to work with.

Homecoming by Able Ebenezer Brewing Co. in Merrimack is a nice choice that features big pumpkin flavor but without the sometimes dominating flavors of cinnamon, vanilla and other spices.

The Toasted Pumpkin Ale by 603 Brewery in Derry, on the other hand, is another great, unique and well-balanced choice that is aged on vanilla beans and cinnamon sticks. This one has a little higher ABV at 8.2 percent, which helps the beer stand up to a little extra sweetness from the vanilla and cinnamon. The pumpkin still shines through for sure.

Of course, then there’s the Southern Tier Pumking, which is big, syrupy, and sweet, and which I should probably hate, but I love, so go figure.

I think the message here is simple: Go out and explore pumpkin beers this fall and don’t get down if you don’t like one or two. Move on to the next one.

What’s in My Fridge
Sip of Sunshine by Lawson’s Finest Liquids (Waitsfield, Vermont) I haven’t had this one in a long time so it was almost like being reintroduced to an old friend. This is just a wonderful brew. It’s juicy and hoppy with lots of floral aromas and tropical flavors. This beer just works any time. Cheers!

Featured photo: Courtesy photos

Fall flavors of wine

Campfires, backyard firepits, s’mores — and port

It may not officially be fall, but in some places the trees are beginning to blush and the evenings are now calling for jeans and sweatshirts. The air is crisp and “pick your own” ventures have changed from berries to apples. It is a beautiful time of the year and the perfect time to relish those opportunities to gather around a campfire or backyard firepit after the sun goes down. Break out the graham crackers, marshmallows and Hershey chocolate bars and create that sublime evening treat. And what do we want to sip with such fare? Port, of course!

Port is the perfect drink to pair with fruit, cheese and everything in between — even s’mores! Port can stand on its own, sipped slowly, bundled up while gathered around the firepit in the backyard. Port is a fortified wine at 20 percent alcohol. It is simply wine produced from grapes that are fermented, with the addition of some spirits, typically brandy, which stops the fermentation process. Port is produced wherever wine is made, including the United States, Australia, India, Argentina, Canada, and South America, but authentic port is unique to Portugal. It all started over the wars that the British and French were constantly engaged in. The British needed a source outside of France for their table wines. They turned to Portugal, but these wines were unstable and not favored as much as the French wines. It was already a common practice to add some spirits to lesser wines to fortify the mixture to extend its life while traveling; wines like Madeira come to mind. Port wine takes its name from the city of Oporto, where the Douro River meets the Atlantic. The Douro River valley was and still is known as the home of some great vineyards upriver, and these grapes along with the added brandy give port wine its unique flavor. In fact, only Portuguese-made port can carry the identifying term “Porto” on the label. And, as is obvious from reading the labels on the bottles, the British became involved in the exportation and sale of this marvelous product, hence the port labels of Taylor, Warres, Graham’s and others!

Port is a red wine, with one notable exception — white port, which is made from white grapes. Ruby port is a young, inexpensive wine, deep red in color and aged for only about three years. Vintage port is a blended harvest, placed in oak casks for several months, then bottled and aged for 20 or more years. Late bottled vintage port is made from grapes grown in a specific year, aged in oak for four to six years, then bottled. Tawny port with a reddish-brown color is aged in casks for several years, some for up to 40 years! Port wine labels carry a lot of information, so much so that an entire column could be devoted to it.

But let us begin our tasting of port wines! Taylor Fladgate 2014 Late Bottled Vintage Port (originally priced at $19.99 and reduced to $16.99 at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets) has a beautiful ruby-colored rim sitting atop a deep purple-black body. On the nose there are rich jam-like notes of currants and blackberries, along with light spice. To the tongue, the same fruit comes through with light tannins of leather, followed by a long finish. This is a superlative “entry-level” port at an appealing price. According to the Taylor Fladgate website, it is blended from some of the best ports produced from the 2014 harvest. By all accounts this is a young port that has been in oak casks for six years and is ready to drink now.

Our second port is Taylor Fladgate 10 Year Old Tawny Porto (originally priced at $27.99, and reduced to $24.99 at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets). It has a slight amber cast to its rich reddish brown color. To the nose there are notes of dried cherries and hazelnuts, all coming from its time within oak casks. It is ripe, rich and full to the mouth, with a silky palate of chocolate and butterscotch. Its long finish is to be savored.

So bundle up, light those firepits, roast some marshmallows to make s’mores, and savor these wonderful ports made for these moments. Pick up a bottle of each and send your reviews to the Hippo!

Featured photo: Courtesy photos

Drinks with John Fladd

The Jungle Bird

He stumbled in off the street, leaving the dust and noise behind.

“Afternoon, Mr. Peterson. The usual?”

“Hi, Charlie. I think I need The Bird today.”

Charlie mixed the drink and slid it to Peterson without a word. He knew from long experience that on days like this, words were like razors to the older man.

Peterson stared at the pink depths of his drink for a minute, then for a minute longer, then closed his eyes and took a long pull. For a moment — just the fraction of a breath — he was back in Kuala Lumpur. He didn’t even remember her name anymore.

All he had … was this.

The Jungle Bird was first created at a luxury hotel in Kuala Lumpur* in the 1970s as a welcome drink for arriving guests. It is often referred to as a tiki drink, but I think that is a bit misleading. Yes, this cocktail is built around rum and fruit — in this case, the classic combination of pineapple and lime — but it isn’t at all kitschy; it has an elegance about it. It dances on the edge of being almost too sweet, but is pulled back from the brink at the last moment by the addition of Campari, which adds bitterness and emphasizes the alcoholic taste of the rum. It announces to the world, in a quiet way, that you have hidden depths.

(* The capital of Malaysia. I had to look it up.)

A brief rant about pineapple juice:

In theory, you could juice your own pineapple, and if you were to find yourself somewhere with a ready supply of great, fresh pineapples, that would be an excellent idea. But for most of us the most consistent and convenient source of pineapple juice is from a can. That’s fine. There’s no shame in canned pineapple juice — except perhaps from a historical colonial perspective, but let’s set that aside for the moment — but there is a problem with it. Most cans of pineapple juice are enormous — generally 46 ounces. Even if you think ahead enough to buy a six-pack of tiny six-ounce cans of it, six ounces of pineapple juice is enough for four Jungle Birds, which means that either you are blessed with friends or you’ve settled in for the evening.

I get around this by using a silicone baby food freezer tray — basically an ice cube tray designed to allow parents to freeze neat one-ounce pucks of baby food for future use. Mine came with a snap-on lid, which means that I don’t spill the juice on my way to the freezer. Because it’s made of silicone, I can easily pop each pre-measured pineapple puck into a zip-close bag for future use without it sticking to the mold like it might in a traditional, metal ice cube tray. Just make sure to thaw your juice before adding it to your cocktail; frozen juice won’t melt any faster than the ice in your shaker and might throw your drink proportions off (30 seconds in the microwave is just about perfect to melt two ounces).

The Jungle Bird
Ingredients:
• 1½ ounces dark rum – preferably Myers’s or Pusser’s
• ¾ ounce Campari
• ½ ounce simple syrup
• 1½ ounces pineapple juice
• ½ ounce fresh lime juice
Pour all ingredients over ice in a cocktail shaker, including the spent half of a lime that is left over from juicing it. (Why? I feel like it adds depth to the fruit flavor in the background of the drink. Can I prove it? Not even remotely.)

Shake the cocktail until it is very cold. You will know that it is cold enough when the outside of your shaker isn’t just wet with condensation but visibly frosts and your hands start to burn with the cold. Pain is the price you pay for excellence.

Pour into a rocks glass, discarding the lime rind, which at this point has given everything it has to this operation.

Historical purists will tell you to garnish a Jungle Bird with pineapple fronds carved into the shape of a bird. I feel like that was appropriate in the lobby of the Kuala Lumpur Hilton, but is a bit too precious for anywhere less exotic. Drink it ungarnished.
Peterson would not tolerate a paper umbrella.

Featured photo: The Jungle Bird. Photo by John Fladd.

Ice cream and beer

Like a root beer float but with actual beer

I know, you can basically taste the pumpkin in the air right now. It is as if someone fired off a giant cannon filled with pumpkin spice the second September rolled around and now pumpkin flavor has permeated every nook and cranny of existence in New England.

Doesn’t matter where you turn: pumpkin.

I went to take the kids out for ice cream last week at a local spot and I know it’s hard to believe, but there was pumpkin ice cream on the menu. (And it’s quite good, OK?)

Full stop, though: This isn’t a story about pumpkin beer.

This is a story about the magic that occurs when you pair ice cream with beer. I’m not talking about beer-flavored ice cream. We’ll get to that at some point, too, I’m sure, but I’m talking about an ice cream float with beer.

This is a thing you can do. In fact, this is a thing you should do.

Am I saying you should take your $22 four-pack of some highly coveted double IPA and make ice cream floats with the beers? No. I’m not saying that and I feel like it’s more your fault that I had to say that.

This is where a malty beer is going to shine. Something like a Guinness would, of course, be spectacular, but you shouldn’t feel limited to that. I do want you to think about porters and stouts if you decide to go down this path — or a roasty, toasty brown ale, such as Kelsen Brewing Company’s Paradigm Brown or the Flapjack Maple Double Brown Ale by Henniker Brewing Company.

You can get creative. Have some fun with it. I love coffee stouts and porters and so I will take The Roast by Henniker Brewing Co. or or the Narragansett Coffee Milk Stout and pair them with coffee ice cream. Hello. That just makes sense to me and my taste buds appreciate it.

Same goes for chocolate lovers. Grab a Chocolate Milk Stout by Great North Aleworks or the Black Cat Stout by Portsmouth Brewery and pair them with vanilla or chocolate ice cream, or coffee ice cream, for that matter.

Milk stouts, which are a little sweeter and smoother, are another great choice for beer floats. Take a Left Hand Milk Stout and pair it with some quality vanilla ice cream. That same approach would work with drier stouts, like the RVP by Great North Aleworks or the Granite Stout by 603 Brewery.

I haven’t tried it but I see absolutely no reason why a bourbon or rum barrel-aged stout wouldn’t work here, like the RIS Bourbon Barrel by Stoneface Brewing Co. or the Zwart Bos by Throwback Brewery.

Really, it’s up to you. Think about the flavors you like in a beer (and in ice cream) and make some of your own magic. You’ll never go wrong using vanilla ice cream as your base, but coffee and chocolate ice creams can add a different dimension, especially when paired with a similarly chocolate- or coffee-flavored brew.

For that matter, take some of that pumpkin ice cream I mentioned and pair it with a pumpkin porter and, well, now we’re talking.

Procedurally, the process is simple. Take a frosty mug and fill it with the ice cream of your choosing. I mean, not the whole way but pretty close. Then, simply pour the beer — very slowly — over the ice cream. Grab a straw or a spoon or both and enjoy.

What’s in My Fridge
Subhunter Imperial IPA by Flight Deck Brewing (Brunswick, Maine)
This is an aggressive beer at 9.1 ABV, but it doesn’t drink like that. It even says that it’s “dangerously drinkable” on the can and that is 100-percent accurate. This is a really nice imperial IPA that is a little more malty than you might expect. This is one to seek out. Cheers!

Mystery brews

Brewers Association to host drive-thru and virtual hybrid event

Back in May, the New Hampshire Brewers Association reimagined a traditional brewfest as an online event with livestreamed chats, trivia and more with local brewers. The event was so well-received that the association has created a new event to build on its success: a drive-thru and virtual tasting hybrid event where participants can purchase a “mystery mixed pack” of New Hampshire craft beers online, featuring selections from more than a dozen breweries.

From noon and 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12, Backyard Brewery & Kitchen in Manchester will host curbside pickups. You won’t know what style of beer you get or which brewery it’s from until you come pick it up, although separate mixed packs of IPAs only are also available for the same price, Brewers Association Executive Director CJ Haines said. Participating breweries come from all over the state, including Manchester, Nashua and Concord, but also along the Seacoast and up in the Lakes Region and the White Mountains.

“Since you preorder them, you still get that element of surprise because you don’t know what you’re going to get,” Haines said. “None of the packs are going to be the same sets of beers.”

The drive-thru entrance will be set up in the back parking area of Backyard Brewery, where staff will direct you to the curbside pickup tents. Each mystery pack you purchase includes special tasting classes (two with each six-pack and four with each 12-pack) and access to the virtual portion of the event. Festival T-shirts and sticker packs can also be preordered.

After you order your mystery beer packs, Haines said, a Facebook group link giving you access to the virtual tasting will be emailed to you up to 48 hours in advance. From 4 to 6 p.m. later that same day, staff members of the breweries represented in the mystery packs will be logging on to a livestream, while festival goers can share their own comments and photos to the group.

“The brewers will talk about their beers and might tell some stories behind them,” Haines said, adding that the content will still be available after 6 p.m. for those unable to tune in. Tickets for $5 each are also available for people who want to skip buying the mystery beers. All proceeds benefit the New Hampshire Brewers Association.

New Hampshire Brewers Drive-Thru/Virtual Tasting event
When: Saturday, Sept. 12; curbside beer pickups are from noon to 4 p.m., and virtual tasting is from 4 to 6 p.m.
Where: Curbside beer pickups are at Backyard Brewery & Kitchen (1211 S. Mammoth Road, Manchester)
Cost: “Mystery Mixed” packs are $35 per six-pack or $65 per 12-pack (IPA-only packs also available); ticket includes specialty tasting glasses (two per six-pack and four per 12-pack) and access to the virtual portion of the event (participants will receive a link sent to them upon their ticket purchase). Tickets to the virtual portion only are also available for $5.
Visit: bfest.in/nhbg

Pair wine with tomatoes

What to drink with hearty sauce, gazpacho and more

Look, I know, when you think beach time and summertime, you don’t think about porters and stouts. I don’t either, except sometimes I do.

From May through September beer enthusiasts are drinking and talking about beers that are crisp, fresh, light and bright, and that’s great. I’m all for it. Most of the time in the summer, that’s what I want too.

You have to shake things up, though. You just do. Sometimes things just get a little too crisp and a little too bright, and nothing resets your palate in summer quite like a rich porter or stout.

Now, OK, I’m not suggesting that you crack open a Guinness at 1 p.m. on a blazing hot summer day at the beach. You’d regret that move. Not every day is a blazing, hot summer day at the beach, though. Especially in New England — though admittedly perhaps not this summer — you have plenty of days at the beach or at the lake or in the mountains where cool breezes stand out more than the fiery sun, so seize those moments and treat yourself to something a little richer.

Imagine taking in the summer sunset on a cool, clear New Hampshire evening with a decadent coffee stout. It’s truly hard for me to imagine something more relaxing and more satisfying than that. I want that experience right now and I think you should want it too.

This notion really came to me a week or so ago when I was on vacation enjoying a porter called “Portah” by Barnstable Brewing of Hyannis, Mass. The deep richness and complexity was unlike anything I’d drunk recently and it was invigorating as I, wait for it, took in the sunset at the beach.

Here are four stouts and porters you should try this summer.

Granite Stout by 603 Brewery (Londonderry)

This is big on chocolate and coffee and I really do think that’s what the doctor ordered. I think summertime is about enjoying something a little extra. Maybe you say yes to that ice cream run on a Tuesday night because it’s summer. Or maybe you have this decadent, delicious brew instead of the ice cream. (Or you have both.) At 8 percent ABV, this is one you can savor over the course of an evening.

Campfire by Throwback Brewery (North Hampton)

This is a smoked robust porter, which, yes, makes it the perfect accompaniment to a campfire or to hearty, grilled meats and barbecue, so says the brewery. This brew is in fact robust, but at 6.4 percent ABV this is much more palatable in terms of its heft than you might be thinking. You’ll pick up smoky notes for sure, along with pronounced rich malts, but again, neither is overpowering. In addition to grilled meats, I think this would pair well with a wide range of foods.

Draken Robust Porter by Kelsen Brewing Co. (Derry)

While the roasty, toasty malts are the defining characteristic here, I think you get a bit more sweetness on this one than you might expect. To that point, the brewery says, it has flavors of dark fruit and raisins, in addition to coffee, chocolate and caramel. This one has layers of complexity to appreciate and savor.

Black Cat Stout by Portsmouth Brewery (Portsmouth)

If you get this on tap, the brewery uses nitrogen, which produces a thick, rich, creamy brew boasting big flavors of chocolate and coffee. This one is pretty dry, and I mean that in a good way. I wouldn’t really refer to a stout as refreshing but this is very easy to drink and one I wouldn’t hesitate to order on a summer day or evening.

What’s in My Fridge
Things We Don’t Say by Wandering Soul Beer Co. (Beverly, Mass.) This was tremendous. Just one of those beers that makes you say, “Yup. That’s real good.” This is a “New England Double IPA brewed with flaked oats, white wheat, and aggressively dry hopped,” according to the brewery. It’s got the citrusy burst that you want, coupled with a balanced finish — and not overly bitter. Find this one for sure. Cheers!

Pimm’s Cup

Drinks with John Fladd

At this point in my life I’ve more or less made peace with my physical appearance, which can best be summed up as “rumpled.” I’m mostly OK with the fact that very few people will ever describe me as dapper. I will probably not be invited to sophisticated cocktail parties in the Hamptons, where I will casually lean against a doorframe, dressed in a crisp linen suit, making small talk with elegant women and men with monocles. And yet… There are days in late summer, when the heat and humidity collaborate to suck a person’s will to live right out through their pores, when the idea of drinking something civilized becomes extremely appealing.

That’s where Pimm’s comes in.

Pimm’s is a quintessentially British drink. Although brownish in color, it’s a gin-based liqueur that the Brits have sipped in a reserved sort of way for the past 150 years or so, while watching cricket or orphan-taunting, or whatever the Victorians were into. The traditional cocktail made with Pimm’s is called, reasonably enough, a Pimm’s Cup.

Here’s the thing about the Pimm’s Cup: It requires what English people call “sparkling lemonade” and a shocking amount of garnish. In the past I’ve always drunk a pared-back, minimalist version of the Pimm’s Cup — basically a Pimm’s and soda, with a single, important garnish. It has always struck me as being cold, crisp, and perhaps a little bit classy.

But, if I’m going to recommend a Pimm’s Cup, it only seems like due diligence to compare the two versions. And in the spirit of “in for a penny; in for a pound” it makes sense to go even a step further and compare both of them against an over-the-top premium version. So I did.

Sleek, Minimalist Pimm’s Cup
2 oz. Pimm’s
7 oz. plain seltzer
3” section of cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and bruised

1) In a tall glass, add ice, Pimm’s and seltzer.
2) Cut a three-inch section from a cucumber. Cut in half lengthwise, then lay it facedown on your table or counter. Spank it vigorously with the back of a spoon.
3) Yes, I know what I said. Just do it.
4) Add it as garnish to the drink, stir and enjoy.

Truth be told, this was the version of the cocktail that I was rooting for. It is crisp and classic.

Official Pimm’s Cup
2 oz. Pimm’s
5 oz. lemon soda (I used SanPellegrino)
2 orange wheels
2 slices cucumber
1 fresh strawberry, sliced
sprig of fresh mint

1) To a tall glass, add two slices each of orange, cucumber (unbruised) and strawberry slices. Feel free to cram them roughly into the bottom of the glass.

2) Add ice.
3) Add the Pimm’s and lemon soda.
4) Stir and top with a sprig of fresh mint.

I didn’t want to admit it, but this was a step up. Each garnish shone through and this was — OK, not superior to Version No. 1, but definitely more nuanced. Things become classics for a reason.

Trying Too Hard Pimm’s Cup
2 oz. Pimm’s
2 oz. homemade lemon syrup
5 oz. plain seltzer
2 orange wheels
2 slices cucumber
1 frozen strawberry
sprig of fresh mint

1) Make lemon syrup. Bring equal parts lemon juice and sugar to a boil with a pinch of salt. (Four lemons gave me about 1¼ cups of juice) Take it off the heat as soon as the sugar has dissolved, then steep the zest of one lemon in the syrup for about half an hour. Let it cool, then strain out the zest, which might make it bitter if you left it in.
2) Arrange orange and cucumber slices around the inside of a tall glass, so they look impressive from the outside.
3) Add ice.
4) Add Pimm’s, lemon syrup and seltzer. Stir gently.
5) Top with a sprig of fresh mint and a frozen strawberry. (The reason for using a frozen strawberry here is that when you freeze fruit, sharp ice crystals form that puncture the cell walls inside the berry. When you add the frozen berry to this drink, it looks like a proper, self-respecting strawberry, but it oozes strawberry juice into your cocktail, while still putting up a good front.)

The extra work and fiddly details were actually worth it. This version was definitely the sweetest of the three and if you are looking for that clean, pared-down taste, this is probably not the version for you. But the freshness of the mint and the flavors of the fruit really set off the taste of the Pimm’s itself.

After drinking three Pimm’s Cups, I feel as rumpled as I look.

Featured photo: Pimm’s Cup. Photo by John Fladd.
John Fladd is a veteran Hippo writer, a father, writer and cocktail enthusiast, living in New Hampshire.

Mule season

How the Moscow mule and its many variations can take you from summer to fall

A traditional Moscow mule is just three ingredients — vodka, ginger beer and lime juice — poured over crushed ice, garnished with a lime wedge and, of course, served in a copper mug. But it’s also a cocktail that lends itself to countless variations, from the type of alcohol used to the different flavors added, whether you’re working with liqueurs, syrups or purees.

“It’s a very basic drink … but also a very versatile one that you can easily change up,” said Ron Pacheco, assistant general manager of The Foundry Restaurant in Manchester, which has dabbled in all kinds of seasonal mules on its cocktail menu over the years.

Local bar managers and mixologists discuss the unique spins they’ve made on this American bar staple (as it turns out, the Moscow mule was not actually invented in Moscow, nor does it have anything to do with mules) and give some recommendations for the best flavor pairings.

The classic mule

Even a mule’s most basic ingredients have many variations, depending on the brand of vodka or ginger beer used. Elissa Drift, a manager and bartender at Stella Blu in Nashua, said that Gosling’s brand ginger beer is among the most common in making mules.

“It’s a little bit more sweet and sugary … so people aren’t put off by the astringent ginger flavor,” she said, “but you can really use whatever version of ginger beer floats your boat.”

Sarah Maillet, who co-owns 815 Cocktails & Provisions in Manchester, said the mules you’ll find there use Maine Root ginger beer, a brand made with organic cane sugar. A couple of years ago, the downtown speakeasy-style bar also introduced a house Moscow mule recipe on draft.

The brand of vodka is also largely up to personal preference. Drift has used Ketel One and Celsius vodka, while at The Foundry, Pacheco said the No. 1 selling brand for mules is Tito’s. The ratio of vodka to lime juice in a mule will vary slightly depending on where you go.

“It’s always more ginger beer,” Pacheco said. “For us, you’re looking at typically an ounce and a half of vodka … to a half-ounce of lime juice, and then the rest is ginger beer.”

Drift said she likes to incorporate the vodka and the ginger beer into the cocktail at the same time to best combine them before adding the lime juice. A lime wedge is a very common garnish in classic mules, although you might see herbs like mint or basil used.

The origin of the Moscow mule is traced back to Hollywood, California, in the early 1940s. Cathy Dion of Martini’s Etc. Professional Bartending Services, based in Hooksett, said the drink was first known as a vodka buck. A “buck” is a more general term for a cocktail with ginger beer and a liquor, according to Jeff Eagen, a bartender at Earth Eagle Brewings in Portsmouth.

In his 2004 book Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails, author Ted Haigh writes that the Moscow mule is widely credited with popularizing the consumption of vodka in the United States. The story goes that the very first Moscow mule was created in 1941 at the Cock’n Bull Pub on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. Jack Morgan, then the tavern’s owner, had been brewing his own ginger beer that wasn’t selling, according to Haigh.

Eventually, Morgan collaborated with John Martin, a regular at the Cock’n Bull who had recently acquired Smirnoff Vodka. The Moscow mule, Haigh writes, was created as a way for Morgan and Martin to do something with their excess ginger beer and vodka, respectively, both of which were not popular in America at the time. The drink soon gained popularity in the Los Angeles area and then spread to other parts of the country.

Dion, who specializes in private bartending for weddings and has travelled across New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts, said she’s noticed a recent resurgence of Moscow mules.

“I would say that about five or six years ago people mostly did beer, wine and then your basics like vodka soda or gin and tonic,” she said. “The mule kind of came out of nowhere. But it’s definitely a classic wedding cocktail that’s very easy and refreshing. … A lot of people will say, ‘I had it at a wedding, and now I want to have it at my wedding.’”

Beyond the basics

The ginger beer, according to Pacheco, is the most fundamental ingredient found in any mule. But you can make all kinds of variations by swapping out the vodka for another type of alcohol.

If you’re using gin, for example, you’ll get a London mule, or if you’re using tequila, that will make a Mexican mule. Bourbon makes a Kentucky mule, while ginger beer with dark rum is known as a Dark ’n’ Stormy.

“Those are kind of the five general variations,” Pacheco said. “We use six different purees behind the bar, so we’ve done a blackberry Kentucky mule, with a blackberry puree, sugar, lemon juice and water. Last winter we ran a cranberry mule. … On our brunch menu, we do the Sunday morning mule, which is Stoli vodka with orange juice in it.”

Dion said she grows her own fresh herbs like basil and rosemary that she’ll sometimes use as garnishes for her mules, like a blackberry and basil mule.

“I would say it’s definitely more of a summer drink, but you add all kinds of things to sort of ‘fall’ it up, like cranberry or cinnamon sticks or whatever you want.”

Drift has made a Maine mule, which features Cold River blueberry vodka that’s muddled with a fresh blueberry puree and topped with blueberries for a garnish. Stella Blu has also done several types of mules on its cocktail menu, including a mint cucumber mule, a bing cherry puree mule, a London lime mule with Tanqueray Rangpur gin, fall-inspired mules with cider, and a honey mule with Jack Daniel’s honey whiskey and fresh-squeezed lemon.

Another honey-flavored mule can be found at the XO Bistro, on Elm Street in Manchester, known as the Bee Sting. Manager Steve Tosti said this drink features Jack Daniel’s whiskey, ginger beer and a splash of honey liqueur.

At Granite Tapas & Cocktail Lounge in Hooksett, co-owner Jamie Jordan said a Stoli salted caramel mule was recently introduced, featuring Stoli salted caramel vodka, apple cider, ginger beer and an infused simple syrup with cinnamon sticks, garnished with a caramel cinnamon rim.

One of Maillet’s favorites that has been featured at 815 is called the Nor’Easter mule. It swaps the vodka for whiskey and adds maple syrup with the lime and ginger beer. She said she’s also experimented with a Moscow mule ice cream float with vanilla ice cream, and is looking into crafting a mezcal mule with cinnamon and agave moving forward into the fall.

“The possibilities are literally endless,” she said. “You can essentially think of it as like a martini. … You have the classic cocktail and everything’s kind of derived from that.”

Featured Photo: Maine Mule from Stella Blu in Nashua. Courtesy photo.

Beach-time porters

Drink these beers now

Look, I know, when you think beach time and summertime, you don’t think about porters and stouts. I don’t either, except sometimes I do.

From May through September beer enthusiasts are drinking and talking about beers that are crisp, fresh, light and bright, and that’s great. I’m all for it. Most of the time in the summer, that’s what I want too.

You have to shake things up, though. You just do. Sometimes things just get a little too crisp and a little too bright, and nothing resets your palate in summer quite like a rich porter or stout.

Now, OK, I’m not suggesting that you crack open a Guinness at 1 p.m. on a blazing hot summer day at the beach. You’d regret that move. Not every day is a blazing, hot summer day at the beach, though. Especially in New England — though admittedly perhaps not this summer — you have plenty of days at the beach or at the lake or in the mountains where cool breezes stand out more than the fiery sun, so seize those moments and treat yourself to something a little richer.

Imagine taking in the summer sunset on a cool, clear New Hampshire evening with a decadent coffee stout. It’s truly hard for me to imagine something more relaxing and more satisfying than that. I want that experience right now and I think you should want it too.

This notion really came to me a week or so ago when I was on vacation enjoying a porter called “Portah” by Barnstable Brewing of Hyannis, Mass. The deep richness and complexity was unlike anything I’d drunk recently and it was invigorating as I, wait for it, took in the sunset at the beach.

Here are four stouts and porters you should try this summer.

Granite Stout by 603 Brewery (Londonderry)

This is big on chocolate and coffee and I really do think that’s what the doctor ordered. I think summertime is about enjoying something a little extra. Maybe you say yes to that ice cream run on a Tuesday night because it’s summer. Or maybe you have this decadent, delicious brew instead of the ice cream. (Or you have both.) At 8 percent ABV, this is one you can savor over the course of an evening.

Campfire by Throwback Brewery (North Hampton)

This is a smoked robust porter, which, yes, makes it the perfect accompaniment to a campfire or to hearty, grilled meats and barbecue, so says the brewery. This brew is in fact robust, but at 6.4 percent ABV this is much more palatable in terms of its heft than you might be thinking. You’ll pick up smoky notes for sure, along with pronounced rich malts, but again, neither is overpowering. In addition to grilled meats, I think this would pair well with a wide range of foods.

Draken Robust Porter by Kelsen Brewing Co. (Derry)

While the roasty, toasty malts are the defining characteristic here, I think you get a bit more sweetness on this one than you might expect. To that point, the brewery says, it has flavors of dark fruit and raisins, in addition to coffee, chocolate and caramel. This one has layers of complexity to appreciate and savor.

Black Cat Stout by Portsmouth Brewery (Portsmouth)

If you get this on tap, the brewery uses nitrogen, which produces a thick, rich, creamy brew boasting big flavors of chocolate and coffee. This one is pretty dry, and I mean that in a good way. I wouldn’t really refer to a stout as refreshing but this is very easy to drink and one I wouldn’t hesitate to order on a summer day or evening.

What’s in My Fridge
Things We Don’t Say by Wandering Soul Beer Co. (Beverly, Mass.) This was tremendous. Just one of those beers that makes you say, “Yup. That’s real good.” This is a “New England Double IPA brewed with flaked oats, white wheat, and aggressively dry hopped,” according to the brewery. It’s got the citrusy burst that you want, coupled with a balanced finish — and not overly bitter. Find this one for sure. Cheers!

Featured photo: Don’t overlook stouts and porters in summer. Courtesy photo.

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