Lavender Honeybee

I don't really have any entertaining stories behind this cocktail--just the thought that I wanted to do a lavender and honey cocktail, and I thought rosemary would be a nice accent to the mix.  This is honestly probably in my top five favorite recipes of my own...the balance of flavors is really beautiful.

Also, while I have your attention:  I know some of you follow my personal Facebook, but I've started a page to move much of my bar rambling away from that.  If you're interested in keeping up with my blog updates, contests and events I'm involved with (or you might like to be involved with), and just interesting news in the bar world in general, you should head over and "Like" the Alcohol Alchemy Facebook page.

Lavender Honeybee

Glassware:  Large cocktail glass

Garnish:  Burned rosemary sprig

Method:  Shake and Strain

Ingredients:

2 oz Plymouth gin

.25 oz Simple syrup

.5 oz Lavender syrup

2 oz Fresh lemon juice

2 sprigs Fresh rosemary

.5 oz Smoked honey */**

Add ingredients in a mixing glass with ice.  Shake well and strain into glass.  Garnish with a burned rosemary sprig.

* I smoked the honey for around an hour using hickory wood.  If you're using a smoking gun you'll probably want to have the honey spread out as thinly as possible on a baking sheet or something to make sure all the honey gets the chance to catch the smoke since it's so viscous.

** I generally add the honey as the final ingredient, and give it a little stir before I add the ice so that it doesn't end up A) stuck to the bottom of the glass or B) as a cold clump attached to the ice in the tin after shaking.

So who's ready for the Derby?

I love Mint Juleps.  One of the first drinks that crossed my mind in putting together the cocktail list for a southern style restaurant was the Mint Julep...the penultimate porch drink of the deep south.  Of course, there are many ways to twist this classic, and I was happy to take the challenge.  I decided to post this now as Mint Juleps also are the signature cocktail of the Kentucky Derby, which happens to fall on May 7th this year (I'm hoping the race time falls before my friend Julie's wedding so that I can watch it somewhere).  Yes, moving to Cincinnati has turned me into a Derby watcher, and I would LOVE to actually go to the races next year.

First, bourbon choice.  Maker's Mark recently(ish) released Maker's 46, and I'm a fan of the extra complexity and sweetness the toasted oak staves add to the bourbon.  Next, the sweetening agent:  this was actually a bit of a no-brainer...house-smoked honey, of course!

I am horrible at writing out an explanation of how to make a Mint Julep since it involves quite a lot of attention to detail, so instead I will give you the recipe and then direct you to a video demonstration. 


smoQ'd Julep

Glassware: Julep cup

Method: Muddle and Stir

Garnish: Drizzle of smoked honey and mint sprig

Muddle:

Fresh Mint (amount to taste...we use two nicely leaved sprigs)

1 oz  House-smoked honey

Add:

2.5 oz Maker’s Mark 46 bourbon

- Stir together (the honey is REALLY thick...it will end up in a ball in the bottom of the drink unless you stir it with the bourbon before adding ice) and add crushed ice

- Stir until the julep cup frosts

- Top off with more crushed ice and stir briefly again

- Drizzle with smoked honey and spanked mint sprig to garnish

- Warn guests to beware of the slippery frosted cup while drinking!

Video: How to make a Mint Julep 

Where we got our Lewis Bag: Professional grade Lewis bags by McSology

Our Mint Julep cups: KegWorks 10oz Mint Julep cup

Clearly, Mint Juleps are a lot of work...this is why we don't feature ours on our menu, though we can always make one for you upon request.  Just remember...patience, please!