Live it up, drink it down
Hello fellow drinkers,
It’s been some time but I am back on the circuit for Liquid Encouragement. Get ready for more updates, news from the booze world and some interesting projects and cocktails I am developing. As for now, check out this video I made with The Brooklyn Bar Chef, Max Messier, about his pop-up cocktail events in NYC and the recipe for his Brooklyn Silver Fizz 2.0 Beta version with Brooklyn Gin. A huge thanks to Ned Thorne (nedthorneeditor.tumblr.com) for his help.
Cheers!
As of yesterday, I will be writing a weekly column for MetroNY about alcohol and spirits entitled “The Drink Wiz.” Each week I will explore different facets of the industry and make this topic fun and approachable for the public.
Check out my article from this week here. I explain a bit about why I love to bartend and some great spots in NYC for a hot drink.
I’ve been busy busy busy over the past few months putting together the bar program for King Restaurant in NYC, so please excuse the lack of posting.
With that said, I have assembled a remarkable team of bartenders/cocktalians who are extremely talented and passionate about the world of alcohol and spirits.
One of the bartenders, Alex, has started a great blog and recently posted about his ginger syrup which we use behind the bar at King (and it is delicious). Check out his easy step-by-step recipe here.
Picture taken from myfavoriteamendment.wordpress.com
My dear friend Steve from Employees Only is known for a few things: mixing a damn good cocktail, having one of the best mustaches in NYC and his Hammer/Ice Mallet. He loves this hammer so much that he has created and is selling a line of custom made Standard Issue Ice Mallets with proceeds going to charity.
Why get an ice mallet? How else do you expect to get your ice crushed to the right consistency for that mint julep you want to serve up in a few months? Plus, it is a great bar tool to keep around when your staff gets out of line (just kidding). Information about obtaining one of these fine pieces of craftsmanship can be found on this facebook page, or below:
100 Limited Edition Ice Mallet / Muddler combo. Comes complete with a canvas bag and ice scoop. They are going fast! First come first serve - Like this page and contact me, Steve Schneider to reserve yours! All of my proceeds will be going to Out of the Pits, a non profit organization that rescues and rehabilitates pit bulls from the horrors of evil owners and dog fighting. 80 USD. Thank you!Emailstandardissueicemallet@gmail.com
The sad part is that I’ve actually said a few of these phrases.
According to today’s NYPost, Mayor Bloomberg is planning on taking steps to cut down on alcohol sales in NYC and limit the public’s excessive drinking. Does Bloomberg not remember the phrase, “History is doomed to repeat itself”?
I can sympathize with Bloomberg about the nature of many NYC drinkers. Some (not all) are overindulgent and do not know the appropriate time to stop imbibing. Therefore, their display of intoxication leaves a terrible reputation that New Yorkers lack restraint when approaching a bar. However, we can analyze the cities where the majority of the population drinks, and we can see in a recent polling that NYC doesn’t even make the top 25. In fact, my hometown of Cleveland beats out the Big Apple (which is sad). If Bloomberg truly believes that drinking is such a problem, the last plan of action he should take is controlling venues and stores that sell alcohol. When the public is deprived of a commodity, they will use other means and methods to obtain that banned good. Prohibition led to the establishment of hundred of speakeasies, an increase in criminal activity and bathtub booze - which could often be deadly when made at home. When an item becomes taboo, it is desired to a greater degree and depriving the public of alcohol will only heighten their desire to consume it. The last thing NYC wants is another Temperance movement. And cutting back on alcohol sales will reduce the number of jobs available through the bar industry. During a period deemed as a double recession, New Yorkers need as many jobs as possible and the food and beverage industry has always been a major supplier of employment.
Alcohol and the history of our beloved US of A have deep roots and it is shocking to see the mayor turn on such an integral part of our society. If it were not for booze, the pilgrims would not have landed as quickly at Plymouth Rock (they ran out of beer on board the ships), we would not have had our first taxation (thanks whiskey), and there would have been a lack of venues to draft up our constitution (got to love taverns). And with this I say, “why alcohol?”
I’ve always believed in the power of education. I opted to pursue a Masters degree in food studies, focusing on spirits, in order to someday create a course curriculum to teach the younger generation about the positive influence of alcohol in regards to society and culture. Perhaps we need to reevaluate the manner in which we instruct our youth about alcohol in order to produce smarter and well informed consumers in the future. It is a substance that can be controlled and utilized properly. Teens and young adults need to be informed about BAC levels (Blood Alcohol Content), the effects of alcohol on the body, the strength (ABV) of different liquors, and the signs of being too intoxicated. It is with education that we can begin to combat this problem, not by doing way with the culprit.
When I was a child, I had a huge sweet tooth and my mom used to hide all of the cookies and candy on the highest shelf in our kitchen. Many children would give up hope of reaching the delicacies, but I decided to take a risk and climb on chairs, tables and shelves to reach the treats. Often times I fell in the process and wound up with bruises and cuts. Was it worth the effort? Not really. But did I want the sweets because they were forbidden? Absolutely. Had I known the effects that those confections would have on my health (mainly my teeth), I might have chosen an apple instead.
Bloomberg, leave our booze alone. Lets work on some of the other areas of NYC that need some sprucing up before you attack an industry that generates a large amount of tourism, revenue, press and popularity for your city.
(Image used from Joonbug.com)
Robert Simonson of The New York Times wrote a recent article about the myths of the bar and drinking (a link to the article can be accessed through the title of this post). He hits on various assumptions by the public such as absinthe causing hallucinations, vodka containing zero to few calories, and that water should never be added to a cocktail.
Another famous fable comes from the saying, “beer before liquor will get your sicker. Liquor before beer, and you’re in the clear.” Wrong.
Despite popular belief, the order of the alcoholic beverages that a person consumes will not dictate how drunk (or sick) they will become. However, mixing different forms of alcohol can produce a higher level of intoxication and a greater risk of acquiring a wicked hangover. Inevitably, this all affects an individuals BAC (blood alcohol content) which is the percentage of alcohol in a persons blood, which directly causes their inebriation. There are many factors that dictate the rate of alcohol consumption for each person including:
So next time you go out drinking beer and your friend offers you a shot, don’t use the old excuse, “I don’t mix liquor and beer.” Take that shot in hand, take another moment to think about how many drinks you have already consumed, and then drink it up and order a water right after so you can continue on amicably with your night.
