What Did You Drink Last Night?

[Bourbon Guy]

I was not aware that there were any bitters but Angostura.

 

[Wally_Hood]

I don't know how I reached the ripe old age of merrbble. . . never mind . . . without ever having had a Manhattan, but I did. Last night I was in the vicinity of Grand Central Terminal in New York, and as is my habit when I'm near, I stopped into the Saloon at the Oyster Bar for a libation. The last time I was there a fellow next to me was having a Manhattan and a plate of white chowder. He explained that he had discovered this combination, and he thought it was the perfect formula for fortifying oneself on a chilly winter evening. I resolved to try it the next tme I was there.
Let me tell you, the man is onto something. They pour a VERY generous drink at the Saloon, and the white chowder is thick and hot and full of good stuff. I walked out of Grand Central all warm inside and sort of walking sideways.

This post leads me to publicly post previously private ponderings vis a vis the matching of mixed drinks and foods: is there a thread on it already? I enjoy a martini with a steak, but not nachos; I could equally enjoy a manhattan with a steak, but I do not think I would have paired it with chowder...

 

[Bourbon Guy]

And for vermouth, my preference is always M&R for red, and NP only for dry, for the occasional martini.

Anyone here ever try Old Rip Van Winkle bourbon? Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm Needs a little spash of water to bring it out. Keep the vermouth away.

 

[John in Covina]

Jim Beam Black, Knob Creek, Woodford Reserve, Makers Mark and some Wellers Ten Year Old are what's in my cabinet right now for Bourbon.

 

[Tomasso]

Jim Beam Black, Knob Creek, Woodford Reserve, Makers Mark and some Wellers Ten Year Old are what's in my cabinet right now for Bourbon.

Well, someday you'll have a decent stock.

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Double Bombay Martini, two drops of orange bitters (yes indeed, there are others besides Angostura!), a little dash of vermouth. Hey, heard a great line the other night watching, I believe, A Face in the Crowd. "Dry Martini - just let the vermouth throw it a kiss as it goes by," or something to that effect.

 

[Ethan Bentley]

I was not aware that there were any bitters but Angostura.

I was amazed yesterday when I saw a standard bottle of Angostura sell for £21.00 + £3.50 P&P on eBay That's just shy of $40 USD!

The shortage must be getting to people.

 

[jamespowers]

I was amazed yesterday when I saw a standard bottle of Angostura sell for £21.00 + £3.50 P&P on eBay That's just shy of $40 USD!

The shortage must be getting to people.

What?! There is an Angostura Bitters shortage?! I'll go buy more tonight if that is the case.

 

[Tomasso]

The shortage must be getting to people.

As of yet there's no shortage in my stompin' grounds. [huh]

 

[Ethan Bentley]

Glad to hear that you chaps are ok. There is a post on the Lounge referring to it. Lots of the off-licences and supermarkets are "having trouble sourcing" bottles.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/19/AR2010011900877.html

Spirits: The Angostura Bitters Shortage calls for creativity

By Jason Wilson
Wednesday, January 20, 2010

At first I thought it was a joke: Angostura Bitters Shortage Shakes up Cocktail World. However, I kept seeing headlines from around the globe.

The Guardian of London: "Bitter pill to take!"

The Chinese news agency Xinhua: "Bitters shortage causes panic in New York bars."

The New York Post: "Manhattan cocktail faces bitter end."

By then it had sunk in. The cocktail world was facing a crisis of immense proportions, with tales of bars hoarding bitters, of distributors rationing three bottles per bar, of an emerging black market in Angostura

Apparently, the shortage stems from a dispute between the House of Angostura in Trinidad and the company that supplies its bottles. Production was halted in November. A limited amount has resumed, but operation at full capacity isn't expected until next month. In an average year, sales of Angostura in the United States total about 750,000 four-ounce bottles, so the shortage has a wide-ranging effect.

cont...

 

[daizawaguy]

Joostenb(e)urg...South African red...pretty good

 

[Boodles]

Those are some brands I also enjoy.

I have a number of those on my shelf also. I had Knob Creek on the rocks last night.

Jim Beam Black, Knob Creek, Woodford Reserve, Makers Mark and some Wellers Ten Year Old are what's in my cabinet right now for Bourbon.

 

[Boodles]

Van Winkle anything usually suits me

Anyone here ever try Old Rip Van Winkle bourbon? Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm Needs a little spash of water to bring it out. Keep the vermouth away.

I don't have any Old Rip Van Winkle in the house at the moment but I do have a few other versions called Van Winkle and Pappy Van Winkle. Also in the photo are a couple other versions of bitters, Fee Brothers and Peychaud.

 

[Absinthe_1900]

I was not aware that there were any bitters but Angostura.

Of course there are...

Peychaud's bitters & Regans Orange Bitters:
http://www.sazerac.com/

Fee Brothers:
http://www.feebrothers.com/Page.asp?Script=2


The Bitter Truth:
http://the-bitter-truth.com/

And then some.....
http://www.cocktailkingdom.com/catalog/bitters-syrups/bitters

 

[Mysterious Mose]

I was amazed yesterday when I saw a standard bottle of Angostura sell for £21.00 + £3.50 P&P on eBay That's just shy of $40 USD!

The shortage must be getting to people.

Hate to say I told you so:http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=45598

I'll get some at my sellers,they still have some. I guess I'm the only one in Amsterdam drinking Pink Gin. I'll put 'm in the Classifieds at $39.99.

 

[Ethan Bentley]

Hate to say I told you so:http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=45598

I'll get some at my sellers,they still have some. I guess I'm the only one in Amsterdam drinking Pink Gin. I'll put 'm in the Classifieds at $39.99.

You are quite right and I am very grateful for the heads up!

 

[Ethan Bentley]

And for vermouth, my preference is always M&R for red, and NP only for dry, for the occasional martini.

Anyone here ever try Old Rip Van Winkle bourbon? Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm Needs a little spash of water to bring it out. Keep the vermouth away.

There was a bar in Southampton (UK)that sold three varities of Old Rip Van Winkle bourbon:
15 yr
20 yr
23 yr

Very nice and you're right, needs a little water to bring it out.

 

[Boodles]

Angostura Bitters still available here

Because of the discussion about the shortage of Angostura I looked for it in the two of the supermarkets I frequent. One store has a full shelf, maybe a dozen bottles, the other seems a bit lonw with only two or three bottles. Both markets have the bitters priced at $7.99 USD or right about 5.64 Euros or 4.95 GBP.

 

[rumblefish]

Because of the discussion about the shortage of Angostura I looked for it in the two of the supermarkets I frequent. One store has a full shelf, maybe a dozen bottles, the other seems a bit lonw with only two or three bottles. Both markets have the bitters priced at $7.99 USD or right about 5.64 Euros or 4.95 GBP.

Plenty where I shop too.
I used some to make coconut beans yesterday.

 

[rkwilker]

Basil Hayden/rocks