Spatens! Spaten Octoberfest

Definitely pour this beer into a glass, to get rid of the cross-the-ocean skunk that you get with euro-beers.

Having said that, I really like it.  It's not too heavy and sweet, like the octoberfest beers you get in the U.S.  Light, crisp, slightly sweet finish.  Good beer to pound during the game.

Most people don't know that I have traced my genealogy back several thousand years, and I do indeed have Spaten blood in my family.  Fair warning.  Do not get between a Spaten and the ... let me count.  One... two... three... things that he loves.

D.O.M. Benedictine

Benedictine is another in a long line of great alcoholic beverages that was created by virgins.

It tastes like orange, sugar and spices, or as the label tells me, 27 spices.  I have the 1510 version, which is apparently a limited edition that tastes just like every other bottle of Benedictine.  I'll remember just how collectible it is when I throw it into the recycling bin.

It will probably take me a few years to kill it, but I want to put a dent in it.  I pulled out my NY bartenders cocktail book and found a recipe called the honeymoon.

• 4 parts apple brandy
• 2 parts benedictine
• 2 parts fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp triple sec (another orange liqueur, very redundant)

Of course, I can never follow a recipe, plus, I have an almost empty bottle of applejack that gots-to-go.
I present the "Honeymoon is Over" cocktail. Which is pretty darn tasty.

• 3 parts applejack
• 1/2 part Benedictine
• 1/2 part Lemoncello

I am using Cousin David's lemoncello which is as follows.

• Put lemon zest into Everclear to create an extract.
• Add sugar, and I sincerely hope, water.

I think that I can feel my toenails growing.

Crème de Violette and the Aviation

Crème de Violette is one of those classic cocktail ingredients that until recently, you just couldn't find in Ohio.  Fortunately, my local store has a real lover of good drink running the liquor department, and he's actually been pushing the liquor control board to allow the good stuff to sneak in with the 500 flavored vodkas that usually get approved by the board.

Crème de Violette is sweet, flowery, with a hint of bitterness.  It's meant to be a mixer and nothing else.  The original aviation is as follows: (recipe from Oh Gosh)

2 shots gin

½ shot lemon juice

⅓ shot Maraschino

⅙ shot Crème de Violette

Now for my "Improved aviation".  Improved is a term that bloggers use to say that their version is some how better than original.  As you know, I am much more modest than that.  I need a term for this cocktail that is much more beholden to my family centered mid-western values.  Something that takes me back to my childhood when people were just more down-home good.

The I'm Making it (purple) rain bitch! cocktail.

• Barely coat the bottom of the glass with Marischino
• 1/2 shot of Crème de Violette
• 1 shot of Square One Botanical
• 1 shot of Gin
• Add ice and top with a dry Lemon Soda