The Cocktail Vibe at Mr. Booze

As important as the addition of well prepared, exciting, flavorful, old-school Cocktails are to an evening of imbibing, there are several other things to take care of and that are equally important to a fun experience. You must have the vibe cooking in the room. This is the place to come for recommendations on music, recipe books, history and the scene.
Read more about what makes the perfect cocktail vibe

Little Devil

Another one of those “be careful” drinks, the Little Devil is a true oldie but goodie. Its citrus-y enough to go down quickly and easily, but there is an alcohol bite that will haunt you going down and later while you’re slurring. This is a drink that lives up to its name.
Here we go –

¾ [...]

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Ask Mr. Booze – Christmas Edition

Q: We were invited to a traditional Victorian Christmas. Any drink ideas?

A: I’d go with a punch. Most of today’s cocktails were created after 1900, making them too “late”. Mix up a big batch of say, a whiskey, wassail or champagne (to be mixed at the party) punch and bring that w/ fruit to [...]

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Winter Mojito

I picked up this and the recipe below (Swafford) in the Nov. ‘08 issue of Imbibe. I loved both so much I had to spread the word. It usually stays mild enough around here that mint can still be harvested from my garden, but if it’s too cold in your parts, you’ll need [...]

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Sweet and Spicy

I normally don’t lean towards the sweet in drinks. I like the taste of whiskey, gin, and brandy. That being said, during the holidays, I back down a little. We entertain at home a lot, and let’s face it, more guests than not prefer the yummy factor. A lot of folks [...]

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Christmas Martini

Figured I’d kick-off with this one. It’s an easy drink to mix and you can make up a batch ahead of time if you’re having guests over. This was the first purely Christmastime cocktail I ever tried, and I still love it during the holidays. The peppermint flavor makes it a strictly seasonal drink [...]

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Northern Spy

Bartender Josey Pack at the Alembio Bar in San Francisco created this great cocktail. Here’s another one that’s absolutely perfect for your Thanksgiving dinner party right up through Christmas Eve. It simply has to be tasted over the holidays. I mixed one up minutes after reading the recipe, and it was love at [...]

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Cranberry

I pour the hell out of these on Thanksgiving. While the men loosen their belts and snore away in the den, the gals and I pump these down in the living room while granny does the dishes. Not too sweet, nor too sour, this is an either perfect pre- or after dinner drink for [...]

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Gumdrop

This is the fun one of the batch, the drink that will fetch all the “oooohs” and “ahhhhs” when you set a few up on the bar. The serious drinkers can have their Bourbon, rocks, their Martinis and Manhattans, but your guests hoping for a little holiday magic with their cheer will love this one. [...]

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Rendezvous

This is just a cozy drink, plain and simple. Perfect for a party, fireside chat or to pour before a festive dinner. The bitter sweet combination of the Campari, even as the smaller pour of the three ingredients used, really and pleasantly permeates this cocktail. This is complex holiday pick and one that drinks [...]

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Vanilla Twist

I love vanilla throughout the year but really only enjoy it in a cocktail around the holidays. I’m from the “if I want dessert, I’ll have a piece of cake” school when it comes to drinking, but like I mentioned in my intro, sweet sided drinks have their place in December. Vanilla beans are [...]

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Hot Buttered Applejack

Perfect hot sipper as a reward for spending the day Xmas shopping at the crowded mall. Drop the packages on the living room floor, fire up the stereo, throw a log on the fire, and make you and yours this perfect end to a chilly, demanding day. The recipe below makes four drinks, [...]

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