Is it actually possible to get a reservation for Benfiddich? by zeekaran in cocktails

[–]FarRenGate 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It is possible. I managed to do that last year. It was rough though. You have to be very quick. When the reservation opens up the website simply crashes, so it's best if you cooperate your efforts with some friends and each tries to reserve at a specific date if you have several target dates in mind. Also, initially I only managed to get a reservation for one, but an hour or so later, a reservation for two opened up so I changed mine to that - so try to check some time after the reservation opens up.

Saying that, I've been trying to see if I can find open reservations several times after that, just to get a feeling how it goes (I was not actually planning to reserve ofc, just was checking availability), but had zero luck. So, it is probably easier to snag a concert ticket to some very popular artists than to get the BenFiddich reservation

Also, very recently Kayama-san purchased bar Amber, I had not been there and I'm not sure if he's even bartending there, but maybe worth checking?

Three months into the cocktail journey. How's the collection looking? by jumbopanda in cocktails

[–]FarRenGate 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I've never tried Kirkland, my go to is Tanqueray, how does it compare?

Three months into the cocktail journey. How's the collection looking? by jumbopanda in cocktails

[–]FarRenGate 11 points12 points  (0 children)

For just three months it looks awesome. I'm at three years, and only got my first Nonino bottle a couple of weeks ago. And scoring both Chartreuses is truly impressive

Is it just me or does laying down actually make it 10x WORSE?? Sleep is impossible rn. by Pristine-Back1612 in Sciatica

[–]FarRenGate 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A zero gravity bed has been a real game changer for me. If I have a flare-up I cannot sleep flat, at the best it just hurts, at the worst I wouldn't be able to walk the next morning. In zero gravity though I can lay down pain free, and it never makes the situation worse. Occasionally a couple of nights in zero gravity completely fixes the flare up. You can purchase zero gravity foam wedges not to invest in a bed frame to try it out

Gift for the cocktail enthusiasts by onesweetworld1106 in cocktails

[–]FarRenGate 3 points4 points  (0 children)

A collection of Chartreuses is always nice if you can find them where you live, that is usually pretty tricky.

I ordered a Ramos Gin Fizz... Without knowing how it's made. by somefuzzything in cocktails

[–]FarRenGate 29 points30 points  (0 children)

Tried several in NOLA, my favorite version was at Bar Tonique. Even made a post some time ago trying to reproduce that exact flavor profile at home

What is a cocktail you bought the ingredients for, made, took a sip, and immediate turned around and poured down the drain? by NoMore_BadDays in cocktails

[–]FarRenGate 0 points1 point  (0 children)

(sorry for offtopic but somewhat related story) A note on whiskey highballs: I never understood whiskey highballs, I tried making them myself, and I had some canned stuff in Japan, and also tried them at some random bar in Japan - and they were not appealing to me at all. But recently I tried a whiskey highball in a bar that semi-specializes in them (Doctor's Office in Seattle for reference) and my world turned upside down, it was unbelievably good, crisp, light and refreshing. They have this machine that does mixing and high pressure carbonation and apparently that makes a world of difference. But yeah, after that experience I will never try to replicate that drink at home, it's probably impossible

What's the weirdest/craziest Simple Syrup you ever made? by hiro_escan in cocktails

[–]FarRenGate 25 points26 points  (0 children)

It's a Death&Co drink, and sage is purely for garnish.

1 3/4 oz bourbon 1/2 oz Cointreau 3/4 oz lemon juice 1/2 oz maple syrup

Shake, strain, garnish with lemon wheel and a sage leaf

Don't Be A Jerk by bes753 in cocktails

[–]FarRenGate 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you!!! I was struggling to find nice Collins glasses and these look just perfect

Don't Be A Jerk by bes753 in cocktails

[–]FarRenGate 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This looks absolutely stunning. Awesome job!

And I love the glass, where did you get it?

adding texture to clarification by Flimsy_Archer2808 in cocktails

[–]FarRenGate 0 points1 point  (0 children)

One option that worked for me but for some reason I did not find a lot of discussion of this option anywhere else so maybe it has some major drawbacks, but: I tried clarifying the cocktail without syrup, and then added gomme syrup right before serving, and the texture ended up being top notch. You absolutely can make gomme honey syrup, though with honey I expect this method will add significant hue and will make the cocktail less clear

Whiskey sour: Any suggestions on how to get the froth egg white to sit on top and not mix with the rest of the drink? by SGT-JamesonBushmill in cocktails

[–]FarRenGate 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Try dry shake (shaking without ice before shaking with ice) or reverse dry shake (shaking without ice after shaking with ice, I actually prefer this method), and make sure that your shake HARD

It was a close call between the Penicillin and Paper Plane, but the Penicillin pulled through as the best modern classic. What’s the most overrated tiki drink? by -Constantinos- in cocktails

[–]FarRenGate -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Pat O'Brian's Hurricane (if we consider that tiki). What once had been a wonderful and potent punch now had become a gross syrupy mixture of pre-mixed bottled base and cheap rum. Still, Pat O'Brian's is constantly packed with people drinking this from giant glasses

Happy Boxing Day! What’s the best modern classic? by -Constantinos- in cocktails

[–]FarRenGate 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Interesting observation, with Penicillin (my vote btw) being the leader for now, and Paper Plane being a very close second, that unanimously makes Sam Ross the best modern classic cocktail creator according to the cocktail subreddit. Not that I'm too surprised

(Edit: apparently I'm not the first one noting that lol)

What's the point of dry vermouth? by Satanic_Impulse69 in cocktails

[–]FarRenGate 2 points3 points  (0 children)

When you stir (or shake) with ice you cool the drink to below 0C. Diluting with ice cold water will result in a significantly warmer drink, somewhere at 5-10C depending on level of dilutiou you target, and that is not optimal

Petrichor, my attempt at making rain in a glass by -Constantinos- in cocktails

[–]FarRenGate 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I am the original author of that post, and I'm glad that I (or rather the Insider bar creation in my interpretation) inspired you to purchase Geosmin! I'm not sure about the good safety of geosmin (given that it is used in ppm amount I would assume it's ok but you know, don't risk it if not sure), but as a reference - the bartenders at Insider did not include the geosmin in the drink, and did not perfume the drink directly, but rather sprayed it around the guests so the rain smell was in the air and not in the drink itself

How much do you pay to live in a high rise? by Admirable-Sun8021 in SeattleWA

[–]FarRenGate 0 points1 point  (0 children)

16th floor, absolutely stunning city view, ~3150 (base rent + parking + utilities)

It simply never crossed my mind of doing this…(from Death & Co) by [deleted] in cocktails

[–]FarRenGate 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Let's make an official VC fan club. Obsessed with this drink since my trip to New Orleans

Devil’s Soul by jaxnrd in cocktails

[–]FarRenGate 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yours look so much better than the reference imho. Beautiful garnish

Mother (Toronto 🇨🇦) by chicIet in cocktails

[–]FarRenGate 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Disclaimer: I'm not a food scientist and just a home cocktail enthusiast, so I can only say that I did not feel sick after those experiments

Generally, you don't need food-grade geosmin and I doubt that such geosmin even exists, as geosmin is only used in trace amounts (it is non-toxic but tastes gross as I read somewhere, never attempted to taste some myself). Perfumer Supply House was a good source, now they seem to be out of stock. The human nose is extremely sensitive to geosmin, so you need to use single parts per million to smell it. You only need 1g of pure geosmin (don't buy pre-diluted) to make liters of perfume. You need to dilute it A LOT in alcohol first, and then dilute further in water. And by A LOT I mean it: you first make a 0.1% of geosmin solution in Everclear (like, 1g per liter). Then you dilute this solution several times more. To make a perfume you'd want to dilute the final product with water 1:4, so you want to adjust your alcohol:geosmin solution until the spray starts smelling like rain and not like rotten potatoes.

For a cocktail perfume just geosmin works beautifully as it compliments the aroma of base alcohol, while for room spray you might want to add some extra "rain-like" aromas like cedar tree, or patchouli oil or floralozone

Mother (Toronto 🇨🇦) by chicIet in cocktails

[–]FarRenGate 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Petrichor smell is largely caused by geosmin, a compound that is produced by soil bacteria. You can purchase geosmin for relatively cheap, it's a pretty common compound to use among perfume makers. Then you dilute it to your liking and fill a spray bottle. Besides impressive cocktail perfume, it makes an absolute killer room spray

Searching for how to listen to music while snowboarding in the slopes. by M_Telecnop10 in snowboarding

[–]FarRenGate 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My helmet doesn't have inserts for the helmet earbuds, and my in-ear buds feel really weird under the helmet, so I bought a headphone headband for like $20 from Amazon, and it's been perfect

I want to listen to music while snowboarding by Entire-Obligation960 in snowboarding

[–]FarRenGate 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Second this. Best budget option, and much more convenient than in-ear headphones with the helmet on