Amerafine
Skates on the Bay’s Mixologist Rob McCarthy has concocted four new cocktails for your summertime bliss, including one made with seasonal basil and others with bitters or citrus.
- Amerafine – Campari, housemade vermouth, celery bitters & soda
- Lower East Side – Woodford Rye, housemade vermouth, rhubarb bitters
- Dismantled H2O Melon Punch – St. George Botanivore gin, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, 5 spice
- Tortuga – Mt. Gay rum, lime juice, brown sugar-basil syrup
Summer Beer: Hailing from Portland, OR, Widmer Hefe Shandy Seasonal Ale – the original American hefeweizen gets a bold new citrusy aroma and flavor from lemon drop hops and natural lemonade flavor
Summer Wine: Bieler Pere et Fils Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence ‘Sabine’ Rose – aromas and flavors from savory lavender and rosemary to rose petal notesto citrus, wild raspberry and tart cherries
How does Rob come up with these cocktails?
“Crafting cocktails is all about knowing which techniques to use, and when to use them. Do I over caramelize the sugar in the house vermouth or do I add more bittering agents to bring out the flavor profile that I want.
“The most important thing is that I am in complete control of each ingredient and how it tastes in order to impart the final profile that I am after.
But where do the ideas for a new a cocktail come from? Rob says that sometimes a sensational meal inspires him to create a drink to pair with it. Or sometimes there is a happy accident that makes the cut.
“Sometimes I learn a new technique or come across a new ingredient and find several ways to exploit them. For instance, when I learned how to make vermouth I also made several different ones with completely different profiles and a drink or two for each one. ” Happy mixing, Rob.
More recipes from Rob:
Mixologist Meets Botanist at Skates on the Bay
Skates is located at 100 Seawall Dr. in Berkeley | (510) 549-1900
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