Last weekend was a great weekend, I was able to hang out with new friends, learn about the UWS and learn about a new liqueur that I believe is definitely cutting edge and should be a staple in your
fridge.

I had the opportunity to sit with Rob Back of Voyant Chai, the world’s first Chai Cream Liqueur. Listening to Rob talk about Voyant Chai was an amazing experience. Typically, I learn about new products from sales reps or those within marketing. I enjoyed sitting at Coliseum, an UWS bar with Rob who actually created the formula.

First off, the bottle is eye catching! When I looked at the bottle online, I was instantly taken with the warm and vibrant colors. Seeing it up close, this painted bottle really started taking on new meaning especially when I received my first taste. Typically, I taste drinks already mixed; however, Rob insisted that I had to taste Voyant Chai on
ice. I was immediately struck by the amazing spices (Chai, Nutmeg), black tea, oak aged rum and vanilla. Instantly I thought of sweet potato pie (of course many will also think of pumpkin pie if this is your
preference).

For those of you that may enjoy a variety of cream liqueurs, I was shocked with my first sip. It was such a light, fragrant
and crisp experience that I was interested in how one would mix this beverage that already had a very distinctive taste. Although it’s creamy, it doesn’t leave a film or a coating that can distract from the
taste.

In addition, I loved that although there are a variety of spices, they aren’t so overwhelming that they burn your throat. Most
importantly, the flavors don’t taste artificial due to the use of real spices. Being a chai fan, it didn’t take much for me to appreciate this drink; however, I was completely transformed with my first drink that Rob suggested. Unfortunately, I don’t know the name of this drink but, I had a 1/3 Voyant Chai, 1/3 Jagermeister and a 1/3 Coke in a glass. I am not a fan
of Jagermeister; however, blended together I tasted more of a slight minty flavor with the chai and the Coke balancing it out.

Interestingly enough, if you visit the site, you will find that you can enjoy Voyant Chai in a variety of ways including Martini/cocktails, after dinner drinks, shots, summer drinks and also something that you can
include while baking.

My biggest question was why Chai? Apparently, the answer was simply, there wasn’t a presence in the market; therefore, it was an appropriate time to introduce it. For those that love the spiciness of pumpkin or sweet potato pie, I would recommend this beverage and can also imagine enjoying it during the fall. I think this would be perfect to pair with
a cider when you go to tailgates or other functions. Visit the site and
learn more about Voyant Chai. If you’re in NYC, feel free to visit Astor Wines where you can purchase your own bottle.

Technorati Tags: chai, voyant chai, cocktail, liquor, beverage, mixed drink, liqueur

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America Ferrera and friends enjoying V2 Vodka, originally uploaded by chrisjara.

We at Pubcrawlin love to see pics of people enjoying their cocktails, and celebrities are welcome here too. It looks like this beauftiful group of ladies are enjoying their Jet Fuel made with V2 Vodka. Pictured are America Ferrera of Ugly Betty, Alexis Bledel from the Gilmore Girls, Blake Lively and Amber Tamblyn - all who are working on The Sisterhood of the Travling Pants 2. The picture was taken at Nylon’s launch of its Music/MySpace issue at The Fillmore at Irving Plaza in New York on June 13.
V2 Vodka is a caffeine and taurine infused super-premium vodka which is bottled in Holland. Think of it as the energy drink of vodkas and not untlike the Red Bull/vodka cocktails you’ve seen. The recipe for a V2 Jet Fuel is:

V2 Vodka
Cranberry juice
A splash of ginger

Technorati Tags: americaferrera, alexisbledel, sisterhood, gilmoregirls, uglybetty, ambertamblyn, blakelively, vodka, v2vodka, cocktails, jetfuel, recipes

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Creme de la creme roundup has a great post on cream liqueur mixed drinks as part of the Mixology Monday group.

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waiting for brunch, originally uploaded by Darwin Bell.

This morning I found a link for a tropical breakfast staring at me. It leads to a wikiHow page on how to make a plaintain and muesli dish with tropical ingredients. After reading the article I found though that it was missing something, and that is a recipe for constructing a Mimosa.

The basic recipe for Mimosas (whose origin is believed to be the Ritz Hotel-Paris in 1925) is one part orange juice to two parts Champagne or sparking wine, poured into a Champagne flute. I have found some nice variations though which include:

Mimosa with Triple Sec
1/2 Ounce (oz) Triple Sec
1 1/2 oz Orange Juice
3 1/2 oz Champage or sparkling wine

Mimosa Grand
1/2 oz Grand Marnier
1 3/4 oz Orange Juice
3 1/2 oz Champage or sparkling wine

Mimosa with Orange Curacao
1/2 oz Orange Curacao
1 1/2 oz Orange Juice
3 1/2 oz Champage or sparkling wine

For best results, chill all the ingredients instead of pouring over ice, and to preserve bubbles don’t stir the ingredients.

Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: mimosa, orange juice, champagne, wine, sparkling wine, cocktail, mixed drink, liquor

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This should be a warm weekend throughout the US and many of you should welcome this recipe.

SKYY Berry and Cranberry Juice
2 oz. SKYY Berry
Fill with cranberry juice

Combine ingredients over crushed ice. Serve in a lowball glass.

Technorati Tags: vodka, skyy, liquor, cocktail, recipe, spirits

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From New York to L.A., infused vodkas and the creative cocktails made with them are all the rage at trendy bars. And while infused vodkas add a stylish twist to any cocktail, they are surprisingly easy to make. The fresh, vibrant flavors of infused vodka are perfect for summer entertaining. Why not impress guests at your next cocktail party with custom infusions you make yourself?

An infusion is simply a way to add flavor to liquid — think of a tea bag in hot water. In the case of infused vodka, you can add fruits, vegetables, herbs, chili peppers, even vanilla beans, for a custom combination. Just remember that it will take a few days for the vodka to fully absorb your ingredients’ flavors, so plan ahead. Start making your infusion three-to-four days before your party. The experts at FRIS(R) Vodka provide these step-by-step instructions for making your own infused vodka:

– Start with premium vodka, like FRIS, the only vodka created using a patented freeze distillation process, which delivers a clean, smooth tasting vodka that is the perfect base for infusions. Start with classic vodka, or try FRIS’ Lime or Red Apple flavored vodkas for even more depth.

– Use a tall glass (no plastic, please) jar with a tight fitting lid for your infusions.

– Infuse your vodka with the highest quality ingredients you can find. Clean all your ingredients and remove any soft, bruised or brown spots from fruits and vegetables. Try FRIS Vodka Lime infused with lemon or with pineapple and coconut - the combinations are limited only by your imagination.

– Add small fruits like berries to the infusion whole. Slice larger fruits like oranges and pineapples. You can add whole sprigs of herbs. Add hot peppers whole for less heat.

– Seal the jar, give it a good shake to get the flavors fusing and store at room temperature out of direct light.

– Taste the infusion daily. When the flavor is exactly what you want, strain the vodka into a clean container and discard the infusion ingredients.

– Use your infused vodka to create your own signature cocktail, or try one of the recipes available at http://www.vodkainfusions.com.

Continue the infusion theme as you plan the food and decorations for your party. For example, Thai food is a great complement to a basil/ginger infusion while fruit salads go wonderfully with fruit infusions.

You can even use your infusion ingredients as decorations: place a dozen lemons and limes in the bottom of a glass vase and add water and flowers for an easy decoration with a lot of impact. Or fill a goldfish bowl with fresh cranberries and add floating candles. Individual pots of herbs placed on the buffet table are another easy decorative touch.

Here’s a fruity infusion to get your party started.

FRIS Cranberry Raspberry Apple Infusion

– 1 bottle (750 ml) FRIS Vodka Apple

– 1 cup (4 ounces by weight) fresh or frozen cranberries

– 1 cup (4 ounces by weight) fresh or frozen raspberries

Place fruit in an infusion jar and top with vodka. Let infuse for 2 days.

Technorati Tags: vodka, frisvodka, infusedvodka, recipe, cocktail, liquor

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The Art of the Drink crew teach you how to make a good tasting caipirinha in this video:

Technorati Tags: cocktails, brazil, artofthedrink, recipe, caipirinha

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Another recipe from our friends at SKYY, this time with SKYY Melon:

SKYY Melonade

1 oz. SKYY Melon
2 oz. Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz. Grenadine

This drink can be fashioned two ways - in a tall glass on the rocks or chilled and taken as a shot. Multi-purpose drinks are always good, even on a Monday morning.

Technorati Tags: SKYY, vodka, skyymelon, cocktails, liquor, recipes, drinks, blindmelon, shannonhoon

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Today I will start off your morning with a great cocktail recipe using SKYY Citrus Vodka - Enjoy!

SKYY Crush
2 oz. SKYY Citrus
Orange Juice
Splash lemon lime soda

In a highball glass, combine all the three ingredients over ice, filling the glass with orange juice.

Technorati Tags: vodka, cocktail, recipe, drink, liquor, SKYY

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Thanksgiving Jello Shots:
Thanksgiving Jello Shots This cranberry-flavored jello shot is appropriate for American Thanksgiving or anytime of year. I usually put trays of these…

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