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Author: Peter Cutforth

  • Perfect Summer Mixers


    Citrus liqueurs do conjure up ideas of Summer but citrus mixers are not just for those hot summer days and nights. The vitamin C kick may even prove beneficial for those cold winter months. With the wide variety of organic fruit on offer these days, its best to go with this pesticide and chemical free option. The combination of bitter and sweet with the alcohol is so hypnotic that you probably can’t stop at one.

    This post on the NYTimes.com website provides some interesting recipes for citrus mixers:

    The formula for widely available citrus-flavored liqueur involves alcohol that is distilled three times (Cognac, brandy or eau de vie) and flavored with citrus peels (usually orange) that have been dried outdoors. If you’re a city dweller without wooden drying racks or the Mediterranean sun, you can start your liqueur by infusing the peel in a flavored simple syrup, and adding vodka to stabilize the mix. The recipe here provides the essentials (ratios and techniques) with permission to make the infusion your own.

    Blood oranges make a jewel-like, rose-colored infusion that cozies up to tequila and lime juice. A Valencia is nature’s version of an orange Crayola Crayon; its complex sweet and bitter flavor produces a heady liqueur. Try it mixed with rum and coconut.

    Meyer lemon is distinctly herbal. Paired with rosemary or thyme, it makes a sprightly basis for a vodka drink, served ice cold with a splash of seltzer. Grapefruit and gin are the best of friends, so they are a sensational start to a pale pink Salty Dog. Whatever the fruit, organic varieties are a good choice because the rind is essential to this preparation, and a pesticide-free rind is certainly better than the alternative.

    Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/04/dining/homemade-citrus-liqueurs-to-prime-summer.html?ref=liquor&_r=0

    The best idea though is to experiment and develop your favourite tastes. Especially as we approach Christmas, a bottle of citrus liqueur could be the perfect gift.

    Here are a few more citrus cocktail recipes that can spice up your cocktail menu.

    Screwdriver

    Ingredients

    • Orange Juice

     

     

    • Vodka

     

    Just mix orange juice and vodka and garnish with some blood oranges for aesthetic appeal.

    Greyhound

    Ingredients

    • Grapefruit Juice

     

     

    • Vodka (or Gin)

    Combine the 2 ingredients and rim the glass with salt, Margarita-style, delicious!

    Whiskey or Bourbon Sour

    Ingredients

    • Lemon juice

     

     

    • Bourbon or Whiskey

     

     

    • Simple Syrup

    Optional garnish: maraschino cherry and/or half wheel of orange.

    Lemon Drop

    Ingredients

    • Lemon Juice

     

     

    • Vodka

     

     

    • Simple Syrup

    This one works very well with citrus-flavoured vodka, but plain vodka will also work well. Optional garnish: lemon twist or wedge and a sugar-rimmed glass.

    Classic Daiquiri

    Ingredients

    • Lime Juice

     

     

    • White Rum

     

     

    • Simple Syrup

    This is a Caribbean classic. Mix all the ingredients together and garnish with an optional garnish of lime twist or wedge.

    Garnish these beautiful drinks with a classic citrus garnish like a wedge, a spiral peel, wheel or slice of citrus fruit to echo the taste already in the cocktail and give guests an idea of what ingredients to expect in the drink. I find the best method is to experiment and find out the best combinations for yourself.

  • Former pub boss in court – A warning to other Publicans

    A former boss of the Western Australian Hotel chain has appeared in court due to charges by The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) that he breached his duties as a director and submitted false and misleading documents to the ASIC.

    It is also alleged that Bryan Raymond Northcote, withheld information from the Compass Hotel Groups board (of which he was director at the time) in order to gain a financial advantage. The Sydney resident is the owner of a company that received $1.566 million in commissions dishonestly. The director faces up to 5 years in prison and/or a substantial fine of $220,000.

    This incident is an important reminder to other directors of what is expected of them. Dishonest directors can expect to face the full arm of the law. Directors and publicans in general should take their responsibilities very seriously, including responsibility for the responsible service of alcohol in their establishments. Any dishonest dealings will not be tolerated by the law and so directors should ensure that all their dealings are above board.

    Part of that responsibility includes ensuring that all staff employed in venues where alcohol is served are in possession of their Responsible Service of Alcohol Certificates, which can be easily and conveniently obtained by completing an online course now.

     

  • Tell-tale Signs of Alcohol Abuse

    (Photo: Paul / FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

    Are you a bartender who notices the same customer in you bar night after night, drinking excessively each time or are you concerned that a friend or family member may be addicted to alcohol.

    Some of the indicators that a person may have an addiction to alcohol include;

    The person cannot control when they start or stop drinking

    They also cannot control how much they drink

    You notice them constantly suffering from hangovers, nausea, vomiting and headaches

    The person is abusive both verbally and physically

    The person often blows off family and work commitments to go drinking

    They suffer legal or financial problems as a result of drinking

    Some people may exhibit all these indicators, some a few but they may still have a problem with alcohol. People who regularly drink more than 2 standard drinks a day are at risk of addiction. By sticking to a maximum of 2 standard drinks on average drinkers can lower their chances of alcohol related health effects which often manifest later on in life.

    Some of the practical steps to avoid this include setting alcohol limits and sticking to them regardless of peer pressure, drink slowly, eat before drinking and choose drinks with a lower alcohol content.

     

  • Article Posts for Week Ending September 28,2012

    Here is a list of the articles posted on our blog this last week:

    Prosecutions for Underage Drinking

    New Coffee Flavoured Vodka

    Study Shows Alcohol is the Gateway Drug

    Responsible Alcohol Service Update: Learn how to recognise Signs of Intoxication

    Dangers of Drink Driving

    Should Nursing Mothers be Drinking?

    RSA Update: Beware of Binge Drinking

  • RSA Update: Beware of Binge Drinking

    Responsible Servers know that serving alcohol to an already intoxicated person is a recipe for disaster however not many understand the dangers that binge drinking can have on a person, both immediate and long term.

    One night of binge drinking has the potential to change a person’s life for ever so drinkers need to be aware of the dangers beforehand in order to overcome them. The problem of drinking too much on a single occasion not only increases the person’s risk of contracting alcohol relating sickness but can also result in a number of serious consequences for the person and possibly those around them.

    It is recommended by experts that adults drink no more than 4 standard drinks in any single occasion however most people rarely stop at 4. Alcohol is not the enemy, but people need to consume it responsibly.

    Drinkers that indulge in binge drinking can not only develop negative side effects on their health but can cause injury to others. Some of the health effects that binge drinkers can expect to experience are hangovers, nausea, vomiting, memory loss, physical injury to yourself or others, alcohol poisoning. Young people and teenagers are particularly at risk of these side effects if they binge drink because alcohol lowers their inhibitions resulting in generally riskier behaviour. Some have even been known to indulge in criminal activities while drunk which they ordinarily would never involve themselves in.

  • Should Nursing Mothers be Drinking?

    Most mothers are aware of the danger that drinking alcohol can present to their unborn babies but how safe is it to drink once the baby is born. Should breastfeeding mothers abstain from alcohol or is it safe to have a few drinks?

    Experts recommend that breastfeeding mothers not consume alcohol when breastfeeding especially during the first few months of the baby’s life when breastfeeding begins. This is because breast milk contains higher concentrations of water than blood into which alcohol can be absorbed therefore the alcohol in breast milk is more concentrated and the effects of this alcohol can be passed on to the feeding baby.

    Although mothers should not risk drinking while breastfeeding, if after the first month they wish to resume alcohol consumption there are some steps that can be taken to minimise the risk of passing alcohol onto the baby.  One way is by drinking alcohol with a meal rather than on its own. Another is by drinking no more than 2 standard alcoholic drinks per day and refraining from breastfeeding for at least 2 hours afterwards.

    If breastfeeding mothers follow these steps the risk of passing alcohol on to babies can be significantly reduced.

  • Dangers of Drink Driving

    Nearly every day we hear of a drunk driver somewhere that caused an accident, sometimes a fatal one. What is it about alcohol and driving that makes it such a lethal combination. Most people feel absolutely fine after having a few drinks and surely should be able to drive safely? That is a common mistake that many drivers make, they think that because they feel fine, they will be able to drive. Unfortunately this is not the case because driving is a very complex task that requires correct decision-making and total concentration. Drinking alcohol relaxes the brain, slows the reflexes and makes it difficult to concentrate on driving.

    So how much can a person safely drink before driving?

    It is hard to tell because alcohol affects everyone differently. There is no absolute safe level of alcohol consumption but in Oz the legal limit is 0.05 BAC (blood alcohol concentration).So according to the law your BAC needs to be lower than 0.05.

    Why is this so important? Well alcohol is the leading cause of car crashes in Oz and according to research conducted, drivers who tested over this limit doubled their chances of causing a crash.

    The best option is to never take the chance of getting behind the wheel after drinking. Rather call a friend or family member to fetch you or take a taxi. It’s always a good idea to arrange your transport home before even going out and drinking.

  • Responsible Alcohol Service Update: Learn how to recognise Signs of Intoxication

    1. Look at the patrons physical characteristics such as the speed which they walk or speak. Consider their size and gender in proportion to how much they drank. Women have a lower tolerance than men.
    2. Be on the look-out for the customer’s inhibitions to become lowered. They will usually display signs of louder talking, more sociable and talkative, outgoing beyond what is normal for them
    3. Often intoxicated patrons will behave in a way that is unlike their normal behaviour such as using bad language, being louder than usual, becoming overly flirtatious and displaying generally poor judgement.
    4. You could also observe their physical appearance because their eyes may become red and bloodshot, their speech slurred or may even display signs of being forgetful. Talking slowly or moving slowly is also a sign.
    5. A common sign is showing lack of coordination that causes stumbling, swaying, falling down, dropping glasses etc.
    6. The person may stink of alcohol and be sweating more than normal.

    By watching out for early signs, bartenders, waitrons and other alcohol service staff can prevent customers getting to the stage of over intoxication which is usually when it becomes a problem.

     

  • Study Shows Alcohol is the Gateway Drug

    (Photo: Mantas Ruzveltas / FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

    An interesting study has emerged that shows that alcohol rather than marijuana is the gateway drug for American youth. Alcohol is the drug that is most abused in America, even more so than marijuana and even tobacco and often leads to even more potent drugs.
     
    The study was conducted by the University of Michigan and revealed that more often than not alcohol was the gateway drug to addiction and not marijuana as many people believe. Often alcohol abuse leads to even more serious drug addiction such as cocaine and heroin addictions.  The research included respondents from the university that exhibited a significantly greater likelihood of using both licit and illicit drugs if they abused alcohol.
     
    The study is significant because if it is true in America, it will most probably also apply in Oz. Students who abuse alcohol are most likely to be the ones who become addicted to illicit drugs later on.  This provides authorities with a jumping off point for school based education programmes relating to addiction and substance abuse. The study indicates that educational programmes aimed at the youth should be centred around alcohol abuse and addiction because the use of other substances could be impacted by delaying or preventing alcohol use.

  • New Coffee Flavoured Vodka

    An exciting new alcohol product has been introduced by Smirnoff Australia. The Smirnoff Espresso Vodka is for those consumers who can’t get enough of their caffeine hit. The drink is apparently a combination of vodka, authentic coffee taste and a hint of sweetness added with vanilla.

    According to the marketing manager of Diageo vodka Australia, the company hopes to continue the hype and excitement that the flavoured vodka industry enjoys in Oz so it has provided certain venues with Espresso Vodka kits to create on the spot Espresso Martinis. These kits come complete with an Espresso machine.

    In addition the marketing campaign will include classes in major cities to teach bartenders how to best utilise the drink. The classes will take place in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane in a few months-time. The makers of the drink claim that the flavour is a perfect base for many new cocktails which should prove to be hit with many drinkers.

    Try this cocktail with the new Espresso Vodka as base:

    Mudslide:

    • 1 double measure of Espresso Vodka
    • 1 measure of Coffee Liqueur
    • 1 measure of Irish Cream
    • Build in a rocks glass over fresh ice. Stir.

    For a twist, take the traditional Mudslide as above and add 2 large scoops of ice cream. Add 1 cup of ice and blend until smooth. Pour into glass and enjoy.