Rum cider, courtesy of Tommy Bahama

A while back, when I received my gratis package of liquor -- A WHILE back, that is, I guess I don't drink at home as much as most people do. I reviewed the Barenjager and Michael Collins whiskey. I guess I never got around to even opening the rum or sake included in the package.

This all changed. Recently, I went to Jackalope and was offered a rum-spiked hot apple cider. It was amazzzziiing! So, you can imagine I was elated when I realized I had all of the ingredients needed for this cold weather cocktail.

I'm sure some of you have recipes for great homemade apple cider, but of course I just used the powder kind that came in the package. It made 6-8 oz. so I used a tall glass. I splashed about 2 shots of the brown rum in -- you can probably put more or less depending on your tolerance.

It's amazing! The spice of the rum and the spice of the apple cider pair perfectly. It was great for just hanging out at home, watching a movie/TV and snuggling up.

I highly suggest it! Stay tuned for what I do with the white rum!

Liquor review #2: Michael Collins whiskey

via Michael Collins homepage

Albeit, I am not a real whiskey drinker, but I am about to 'review' some real whiskey. Instead of drinking it myself, I had a guest drink it. I would have tried to tough it out, but my body just does not react well to the drink. I have tried, and wouldn't mind being able to drink it and like it, but for some reason whiskey and I just do not agree. Either way, I wanted to give Michael Collins a fair chance, so I let J drink it instead.

Pictured is the original whiskey on ice (which has turned into water). Tough guy drink. I suppose I didn't have any Coca Cola or Ginger Ale or whatever else people like to mix with whiskey, but I know whiskey drinkers tend to like to drink theirs on the rocks or with water, which I have always found totally bizarre.

Either way, J said it had a sort of vanilla-y taste to it and rated it a 5/10. Maybe he is a harsh critic; I don't know. I'll never know until I force myself to grow accustomed to whiskey. Maybe I will get a second judge, because I kind of want to give this guy a better score.

Michael Collins via homepage

Post-Sabbatical Updates

I don't know if anybody noticed my absence or not, but it happened nonetheless. I didn't mean to be so delinquent with my blog, but it just kind of happened. Life got too busy for the internet, which I suppose can be a good thing. Either way, I am back now to update you on a few things.

+drink week

First of all, evidently it is Yelp Drink Week, which is amazing. This simply means that you can go to these amazing restaurants, bars and wine bars and get decadent drinks for discount between now till Nov 5.

As reported by This is Life in Austin
(only highlighting my favorites though, so check out her site):

LA CONDESA
http://www.yelp.com/bi…
Enlightened Austin Martini (reg $12) During Yelp Drinks Week $6
El Cubico (reg $12) During Yelp Drinks Week $6
Las Ascendentes (reg $12) During Yelp Drinks Week $6

CISSI’S WINE BAR
http://www.yelp.com/bi…
Sake Mojito (reg $5.75) During YDW $2.88
Sangria (reg $5) During YDW $2.50
Spiced Apple Cider (reg $5.75) During YDW $2.88

MARKER 10
http://www.yelp.com/bi…
Dr. Tito’s (reg $10) During Yelp Drinks $5
Candy Corn (reg $10) During Yelp Drinks $5
Pumpkin Espresso Martini (reg $12) During Yelp Drinks $6

HOUSE WINE
http://www.yelp.com/bi…
2006 Zinfandel, Cycles Falcon, California
Reg. $9 glass / During YDW: $4.50

2006 Tempranillo, Tinto, Paso A Paso, Spain
Reg. $8 glass / During YDW: $4

2008 Reisling, The Stump Jump, Australia
Reg. $8 glass / During YDW: $4

NOMAD
http://www.yelp.com/bi…
Pisco Sour (reg $7) During Yelp Drinks Week $3.50
Caphirinha (reg. $7) During Yelp Drinks Week $3.50
Fernet and Coke (reg $7) During Yelp Drinks Week $3.50

PAGGI HOUSE
http://www.yelp.com/bi…
Raspberry Lemonade (reg $8) During YDW $4
Elderflower Royale (reg $10) During YDW $5
Blood Orange Margarita (reg $8) During YDW $4

IMPERIA
http://www.yelp.com/bi…
Kung Fu Cosmopolitan (reg $9) During YDW $4.50
The Imperia Pearl (reg $9) During YDW $4.50
The Jade Martini (reg $9) During YDW $4.50

THE BELMONT
http://www.yelp.com/bi…
Belmontini (reg $10) During YDW $5
Classic Mojito (reg $8.50) During YDW $4.25
French 77 (reg $12) During YDW $6

ANNIE’S
http://www.yelp.com/bi…
The Old Austin (reg $9) / During YDW $4.50
The Diablo (reg $9) / During YDW $4.50

CLUB DE VILLE
http://www.yelp.com/bi…
Margarita (reg price $6) / During YDW $3
Lone Star (reg price $3) / During YDW $1.50
Jager (reg price $6) / During YDW $3

THE GHOST ROOM
http://www.yelp.com/bi…
XX (draught) (reg $4) / during YDW: $2
Shiner (draught) (reg $4) / during YDW: $2
(well) vodka & soda (reg $4) / during YDW: $2

CHUPACABRA
http://www.yelp.com/bi…
Frozen Margarita (reg $5.50) / during YDW: $2.75
Spicy Mango Margarita (reg $5.50) / during YDW: $2.75
Frozen Sweet Tea Vodka (reg $5.50) / during YDW: $2.75

+sneak peek: buydefinition lookbook

Photo of Dagny and I by Jenny

Secondly, keep your eyes peeled on BuyDefinition.com's website for the Austin Bloggers Lookbook featuring myself, The Animal Talk's Isabel, HELLOOOOOO's Dagny and Adored Austin's Indiana. I guarantee that with Andrew Chan's amazing photography, Buy Definition's impeccable selection and Jenny's polaroids and videography, this is going to be a great lookbook. I am excited.

honey liqueur + sweet tea

Liquor Review #1:

So, I got this tremendous package in the mail shortly before my birthday, which was perfect timing. Drool.

Thus, here begins a series of reviews on these special liquors. First up is my favorite, without trying the rest yet -- Barenjager. I had had this twice before by recommendation of friends and enjoyed it thoroughly. This time around, I decided to make a little cocktail when some friends came over before the Annie Mac show at Barcelona. Barenjager + Red Diamond sweet tea, I figured it would be a perfect sweet, alcoholic version of tea and honey (which everybody loves).

+

Don't you just love how there is a man hunting a bear using a beehive to capture it on the bottle?

Since Barenjager is so sweet already, it was honestly hard to gauge how much was really being poured in. You can barely taste the alcohol. It would be an easy drink to have on its own, but that would get some of us a little silly. So, I decided to use wine glasses, my attempt at classiness, and went with about 1/5 Barenjager and 4/5 Sweet Tea. You can probably change the ratio on that one for different effects. It was definitely as delicious as it sounds, tasted just like a very sweet tea with honey, and was perfect for just a little something before going out.

I highly suggest it. I am sure it would equally be good with any kind of juice, namely lemonade, or even in a hot drink, or just alone.

Cheers!

Some stats on Barenjager:
Alcohol by volume: 35%
Meaning: "Bear hunter"
Dates back to 1400s, Barenjager is one of the oldest honey-flavored liqueurs in the world.
Rating out of 10: 9.3

Drink Responsibly.