Face Of New Orleans

This drink actually has a story. One time during college, Em and I were driving out of Arkansas and Em said out loud, “hell is hot.” I tried to maintain control of the car, but had to ask what in god’s name she was talking about. As I looked over to my right, I see a small wooden sign tacked to a tree that says, surely enough, “hell is hot.”

We bring the story up occasionally, prefacing it with…”only in Arkansas.”

Fast forward a bit to the tasting of this particular cocktail. Trying to figure out a name for it, Hell Is Hot popped out of Em’s mouth like magick.

So, I give you:

Hell Is Hot

3 dashes of Angostura Bitters

2 oz of Diabolique Rum

1/4 oz of Clement Creole Shrubb

1/2 oz of simple syrup

1/8 oz of Pyrat Pistol Rum

Add ingredients into empty rocks glass (no ice). Pour into another rocks glass that’s filled with sno-ball type ice (beat the hell out of your cubes). Garnish with grated nutmeg and a cherry.

Photography by Emily W. Kincke.

Prepared as follows:

Curaçao Punch

1 Heaping Barspoon Sugar

Enough Lemon Juice To Moisten (about1/4 of a lemon)

1 oz Seltzer

2 oz Orange Curaçao (I used Bols)

1 oz Brandy (I used Torres)

1 oz Dark Rum (I used Gosling’s Black Seal)

Add sugar, lemon juice, and seltzer to a collins glass (I use the Riedel Vivant ones, and yes, they call them highball glasses….they’re wrong). Muddle to incorporate. Then pound a bunch of ice like you were trying to get a rent check out of it and fill the glass. Then add the curaçao, brandy, and the rum. Frappé. Enjoy.

Photography by Emily W. Kincke.

I love beer that’s so thick you can chew it. I adore heavy stouts and I.P.A.s make my bottom all tingly, but there’s a special place in my being that’s purely reserved for barleywine. Just the fact that the IBUs can get well over 100 in this wonderful style of beer is enough to intrigue…well, anyone. I went through three of said style of brew recently (it would have been four, but the frickin Rogue barleywine was something outrageous like $16 for a pint and some change).

We’ll start off with Sisyphus from Real Ale Brewing Company. The label is actually quite plain, although it is metallic blue and silver. I’m not quite sure why they chose a name for a person forced to move/be trampled by a boulder day after day, but the ale is delicious nonetheless. It comes off creamy and syrupy. The nose/mouth of it is grassy with apple notes. It’s quite bitter, but the alpha acids are balanced really well with sweetness. It has a medium acidity to it and I suggest serving it slightly chilled, nowhere near what a store’s beer cooler will keep it at.

The next in line is Chicken Killer from Santa Fe Brewing Company. In contrast to Sisyphus, this one needs to be served cold. It has a thin, more carbonated mouthfeel and is dark redhead in color. The hop body isn’t all that complex, but it does have a nice grassy nose. The amount of carbonation detracts from mouthfeel/taste. The taste comes off with maple syrup and apple tones, but the bitterness isn’t quite balanced with the malt. This is definitely a beer that pairs well with salty food. It would also be much better if you opened it and left it sit in the fridge for about 20 or so minutes prior to pouring.

Last up is Old Ruffian from Great Divide Brewing Company. This one has a medium rare carbonation, slightly syrupy mouthfeel, and a wonderfully fresh, almost pinching nose. There are distinct coffee tones in the malt and it’s a bit more bitter than sweet (not quite balanced, but great for hopheads). I only prefer it chilled, because it gets far too bitter when it warms up. It weirdly had an aroma of apple in the back of my throat as I drank it.

Overall, I preferred the Sisyphus. It was just thick enough, just bitter enough, and just a baby bit of carbonation to tie all things together.

Photography by Emily W. Kincke.