No, I take that back. A month is fine, but you aren’t doing it justice. Three months is fair. Six months is ideal. I know, that seems like a long time–and it is. You’ll just have to make some Cucumber Fixes to hold you over until it’s ready. Trust me though. It’s worth the wait. I have some in the back of my fridge that is just reaching the 6 month mark.

OJ, lemon juice, sugar, and, of course, bourbon

Over time this drink just seems to improve, the flavors blend and mature and become something greater than the sum of its parts. Tasting this immediately after mixing doesn’t give you the correct impression of what the future holds in store for this drink.

You do need a little bit of equipment to do this properly though. Don’t worry, nothing too specialized, hard to find, or expensive. A small strainer, some cheese cloth, something to juice lemons and oranges, and a bottle to keep it in (you can just use an empty whiskey bottle if you want). A funnel helps but isn’t strictly necessary.

Once you have all that assembled, combine the following ingredients in the ratio listed below:
1 part orange juice (Some oranges are tarter than others so if your OJ is sweet, reduce the sugar a bit.)
1 part lemon juice
1 part sugar
2 parts whiskey (bourbon is good)

Juice everything and pass it through a cheese cloth lined strainer to get the pulp out. Mix in the sugar and whiskey and shake. Not all the sugar will dissolve at first, that’s OK. Just take store it in the back of the fridge and shake it once a week until the sugar is dissolved. Also, no matter how well you strain it, there always seenm to be a bit of pulp or sediment that passes through, just give the bottle a shake before pouring.

It's like a regular whisky sour, except made better by anticipation. Anybody want some?

The first batch I made I used 1 part = 1 cup. But I ended up wishing that I had made a lot more. So the pictures you see are actually a double batch. That still goes quickly, I’ve made batches where 1 part was 1 liter. That made about 4 liters (about a gallon) of whiskey and my friends and I still managed to finish about half of it before the three month mark.

I tend to strain as much pulp as I can from the juices, I use fresh squeezed, so there is always some pulp. Then just add the ingredients in a container larger enough to hold it all. Shake well until the sugar dissolves. Stick it in the back of your fridge and set you timer for 262,974 minutes. :)

If you get impatient, you can try it after a month, do yourself a favor and try to wait at least 3 though. It’ll get better.

I mentioned this drink when I first wrote about Little Branch, but I don’t think I emphasized how good it is. It’s good. I was talking to the bartender and we started talking about the virtues of gin, so she proposed this drink. I had never heard of it, but who was I to refuse a drink?

Getting a cucumber fix.

And besides, as if gin wasn’t British enough, let’s go ahead and make it over the top by mixing it with cucumber. Yeah, let’s do that.

Ingredients
3/4 parts simple syrup (see recipe below)
3/4 parts fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 parts gin
muddled English cucumber

Directions
Cut three to five slices off the cucumber and muddle them in the bottom of a glass. (Muddle basically mean to crush lightly. You don’t have to mangle them, just press them to break them up and extract some of the liquid.)
Add the simple syrup, lemon juice and gin. Stir to combine. Top off with as much crushed ice as you can fit into the glass. Stir again.

The large quantity of crushed ice is actually very important to the drink. The liquids should be at room temperature when mixed. This allows the ice to melt slightly into the drink, both chilling and diluting the alcohol. This is a strong drink. The flavors of the gin and cucumber are in full force (use a good gin). The two shots of gin are tempered slightly by the water, creating a balanced drink. I have actually tried this drink with pre-chilled liquids so that the ice would not dilute the drink and preferred the diluted version.

Have a drink. Cheers.

Simple Syrup Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Simple Syrup Directions
Bring one cup of water to a boil in a small pot. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved.
Store the simple syrup in a clean, air-tight jar and refrigerated for use as needed. (Can be frozen.)

Aviator Brewing Company

The range and quality of available beers points to Mark’s love of the liquid. He has traveled across the world and sampled beers at each stop, picking and choosing the best bits of each. His fondness and knowledge of beer can be seen in the variety he brews. The beers currently offered range from an Irish Red and an ESB to a Belgian Ale and an IPA. A few more unique brews (like a Berliner Weisse) are scheduled to premier at local bars and restaurants.

Aviator Brewery intends to keep their tanks (and employees) busy with full brew schedule, eventually producing at least twelve different beers. Seven will be regular fixtures and five more will be rotating seasonal beers. The beers are currently only available at the brewery or at local bars. Plans for bottling are moving along and the first few cases should be available shortly. Until then, you can stop by the tap house to fill up a growler. For those not down with the lingo, a growler is a half gallon glass jug filled directly from the tap. It will generally keep a couple days, but obviously is best consumed ASAP. Which beer should fill that growler? Well, click through to read about the beers themselves.

Aviator Brewing Company

I haven’t sampled all their beers yet, but I can happily say that I have thoroughly enjoyed each one I did try. Below is a brief description of the beers I have tried. You can read the brewer’s descriptions at their website. If you have tried any of the other beers or have a different opinion, leave a comment!

Currently on the top of my list of favorites is the Old BullDog ESB. This “Extra Special Bitter” is described as a “pale ale on steroids”. It’s a smooth, refreshing beer whose malty taste is rounded out by the flavor hops. Makes you want to drink it from an English pint glass while pretending to be in a pub and starting an all night session with friends.

The Devils Tramping Ground is a Belgian Triple named after an infamous North Carolina landmark. This bourbon barrel conditioned beer is served cool, not ice cold, and has a mild natural carbonation. If you happen to stop by and this beer is available, be sure to try it.

Bourbon cask to age the Triple.

They also have two versions of the HogWild IPA available at the tap house. One regular and one dry hopped. Both were great takes on an IPA (India Pale Ale), but the dry hopped version had an extra punch of flavor that was much appreciated. The dry hops add extra flavor without contributing to the bitterness of the beer.

Fans of stout beers will feel at home with a glass of Kraken Stout in their hands. This dark beer is served via nitrogen at the brewery to enhance the smooth, creamy texture. Don’t be afraid that much light doesn’t pass through this beer; it’s very drinkable and has a great roasted, nutty flavor.

Keep an eye out for these beers in bars if you are in the Raleigh area-or swing by the brewery for the full experience (details at their website). Small, local breweries like this one are ideal places to experience different flavors and you just may end up with a new favorite. Cheers.

Aviator Brewing Company

A hot toddy in the making.

A couple of these and you will be set for a night of sleep. Check after the jump for the recipe and more pics.

Ingredients:
Shot of Whiskey (about 1.5 oz)
Honey (a good drizzle)
Lemon (2-4 lemon wedges)
Hot water

Directions
Add everything in a mug. Sip.

Variations:
Use tea or herbal tea instead of the water. Adding cloves and Cinnamon is also common in some recipes. I like to keep things simple so I don’t add anything but the essentials.

American Honey Hot Toddy

I also made one with Wild Turkey’s American Honey, a bourbon-based liqueur made with honey. This version was a bit more syrupy and probably a good compromise for those who don’t like whiskeys.

Little Branch Entrance (Thanks http://flickr.com/photos/ldandersen/ for the pic).

Once inside, the speak-easy atmosphere, the professional staff and the extremely knowledgeable bartenders won me over nearly immediately. The cash-only tabs are totaled on vintage cash registers and run up by suspender wearing bartenders. Hand-chipped ice in various sizes is used in drinks to ensure that your drink never becomes too watery by the time you get to the end of it. Homemade bitters, fresh squeezed fruits, and specific liquors are all used in creating your specific request.

On the menu is “Bartender’s Choice”–and you are encouraged to choose this as an option. After a brief conversation with the bartender about your mood, your preferences of liquor and mixers, etc, they recommend a drink. If it sounds good then they make it with all the professionalism you would imagine from an anal-retentive butler. They don’t embellish the process unnecessarily–no flourishes, throws or spins. Everything that is done seems to be for the good of the drink.

Back of Menu (Thanks http://flickr.com/photos/ldandersen/)

After a while, I noticed the bartenders dipping straws into the drinks and removing them. I realized that they were capping off a sample of each drink to make sure it was quality. That sort of detail ensures that whatever you are being served, the bartender is aware of the quality of the drink.

The drinks themselves are extremely well crafted. Poured and measured to exacting amounts, no drink was too bitter, too alcoholic or too sweet. Balance is key. My friend and I ended up ordering, among other things, a Southside Fizz, Tom Collins (made with Hayman’s Old Tom Gin, the original Tom of Tom Collins), a Cucumber Fix (3/4 simple sugar syrup, 3/4 lemon juice, 2 gin) and a Bourbon Sour (made with egg white).

Go here in good company for a pleasant evening of earnestly made drinks. Here’s to Little Branch, ‘cheers’.