Noted Mixologist and author of Apothecary Cocktails, Whiskey Cocktails, Bitter and Shrub Syrup Cocktails, and his newly released book: Cannabis Cocktails; Warren Bobrow will be here on First Friday mixing up some festive beverages and signing books. What a wonderful holiday gift! Of course we will have festive snacks to compliment! Come in and celebrate the joy of the season with us!
Noted mixologist and marijuana enthusiast Warren Bobrow has combined his two passions into one fantastic book that’s sure to be a fixture on the shelves of hedonistic cannaphiles everywhere. Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails & Tonicscontains 75 recipes for all types of fantastic drinks subtly infused with THC. Beyond his classy options for inebriation, Bobrow shares considerable knowledge on the origins of healing tonics and how alcohol-based cannabis tinctures were once a vital ingredient in the apothecarist’s pantry.
Chapters include basic instruction on infusing alcohol, preparing tonics, shrubs and tinctures, and then using these base ingredients to infuse afternoon liveners, after dinner drinks, warming beverages to chase away the chill and cooling beverages to soothe the brow. If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to infuse cannabis into absinthe, make marijuana simple syrup or add THC to a cocktail cherry, look no further than this indispensable volume.
Creating a diverse supply of cannabis-infused milks, tinctures, oils, syrups and shrubs allows a mixologist to add a new dimension to craft cocktails, which Bobrow describes as “an alternative means for dispensing the medicine that’s incredibly intriguing.” In-depth instructions on infusing cannabis into various types of liquors emphasize safety in preparation and while imbibing. Plenty of mocktail recipes for different types of THC-infused drinks offer opportunities for those seeking an alternative method of inebriation to completely substitute cannabis for alcohol.
“Less is more,” Bobrow cautions, relating tales of his own overwhelming experiences that led him to cut back the levels of alcohol in this collection of drink recipes, aimed at finding a harmonious balance between bud and booze. Bobrow’s foolproof tip for a come-down cocktail involves a “glass of freshly squeezed lemon juice and chewing three peppercorns,” which helped him feel much better after an enhanced evening at Disneyland went way too far up “Space Mountain.”
Some cannabis cocktails use a tincture to deliver the right THC dose.An authority on cocktail history, legend and lore, Bobrow explained, “as I started experimenting with bitters, I realized you can add balance and depth to a craft cocktail and have it be healing at the same time.” Aromatic bitters were traditionally used to treat an upset stomach, and their curative qualities pair well with cannabis.
A “shrub” is a fruit-infused syrup made by combining fresh berries or preserves with some type of vinegar and sugar to preserve seasonal flavors and incorporate them into cocktails. Bobrow’s Quick Strawberry-Balsamic Cannabis Shrub steeps ground, activated cannabis with strawberry preserves and white balsamic vinegar to create a sweet sensi syrup for use in drinks like Dr. Bamford’s Mystery Mocktail, a concoction of shrub, seltzer, bitters and mint described as a “sophisticated and refreshing warm weather apertif.”
Cannabis-infused milks find their way into a variety of coffee drinks, while a THC-infused maple syrup adds psychedelic sweetness to a Maple Syrup Sazerac, and cannacoconut oil adds a sweet sensi note to Bobrow’s version of a mimosa, dubbed “If It Keeps on Rainin’, Levee’s Goin’ To Break.”
Each drink is elegant, idiosyncratic and full of subtle nuances, with every consideration taken into account, such as the size, shape and flavor of the ice cubes, as well as the shape of the glass holding your tasty beverage. Marijuana mixology is indeed an elevated art form, one that comes with ice made of coconut water, smoked ice cubes, spritzes of THC-infused absinthe and cannabis-infused cask-aged blended Scotch whiskey topped with a greenish cocktail cherry, garnished with a pot leaf.
Welcome to connoisseurship on a whole new level.
The marijuana mixologist favors not only handmade craft liquors from small producers using organic ingredients, but also the finest cannabis flowers.
“You don’t want to use schwag weed to make your infusions,” Bobrow explained. “You want to use the very best things you have at your disposal.”
Preferring skunky, citrusy OG Kush, Blue Dream and Pineapple Kush, Bobrow says that beer hops and cannabis are so closely related that “there’s no reason why you can’t use them interchangeably.”
A dedicated cannabis enthusiast and hardcore Deadhead, Bobrow isn’t worried about damaging his reputation in the mainstream mixology world. To the contrary, he’s excited to be able to embrace his passion and finally do what he truly loves.
“I’d much rather sit and smoke a little grass than drink any day,” Bobrow said. “When you do what you love, you won’t work a day in your life.”
When you get home from a day of hard work (or not), reward yourself with the exquisite experience of a perfectly crafted cocktail enhanced with just the right amount of cannabis. Bobrow recommends pacing yourself and drinking no more than one cocktail per hour, since the point is to balance the cannabis and alcohol, not to go overboard.
Dramatis Personae
The Dramatis Personae is my cocktail whisperer’s riff on the Vieux Carré, the classic New Orleans cocktail. My version calls for belly-friendly Creole bitters and uses calvados, or apple brandy, in place of cognac. Sound like an unusual cast of characters? It gets better. Enter a spritz of infused absinthe, stage right. Finish the Dramatis Personae by pouring a little infused absinthe into an atomizer or spray bottle and topping the drink with just a whiff of the medicated spirit. When you’re infusing your absinthe, try an Indica strain like Mr. Nice. It’s earthy and sweet, with pungent aromatics that enhance the aniseed and herbal notes in the absinthe.—Warren Bobrow
This is one of the most impressive books we have seen in a while. Aesthetically pleasing, concise, informational and fun are just a few words I would use to describe Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails & Tonics. There is so much knowledge in this blue and red book about drinks. Author Warren Bobrow is clearly an expert, and he provides the reader with information to help enhance their cannabis consumption in a really good way.
First of all, why alcohol? Well, for those of you who don’t know, alcohol works well as a solvent, breaking down the available cannabinoids in the plant matter to allow for better absorption into your system. Alcohol is inexpensive, and when used correctly, creates a mostly healthful drink prepared with ingredients that all work together in a positive way.
Now, you might think that combining alcohol and cannabis would be dangerous — and it can be, so remembering “everything in moderation” is very helpful here. Bobrow gives plenty of warning about the dangers of over-medicating with the combination, and encourages everyone to sip slowly and listen to your body. These drinks of art were crafted to help you feel better — not worse.
There are 75 recipes in this book meant to guide you through your day, such as morning cocktails intended to light you up instead of weigh you down, and afternoon cocktails to chill out with. Many of the recipes can be made without the alcohol if that’s a worry for you, and the recipes generally call for only a small amount of alcohol. Bobrow gives a list of strains, flavor profiles and what alcohol they taste best with, as well as what time of day to enjoy them. The recipes to make the infusions that go into the drinks are simple with clear instruction, and they range from tinctures and simple syrups to coconut creams.
The health benefits that lie in each drink are deeper than just cannabis. Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails and Tonics made me view the way I ingest cannabis differently. The recipes are sophisticated, bold and definitely worth your time.
I was playing around with flavors the other day and coffee seemed to resonate more clearly than ever. Maybe it was the recent cold snap, or perhaps it was my palate calling out for deeper, read- more intense flavors. That’s where Death Wish Coffee comes into play. They say that it’s the world’s strongest coffee and I tend to agree with them- as long as I control the brewing method. You see, I’m pretty picky when it comes to strong. I like to do coffee in either a French Press or as a pour-over. Never do I use an automatic machine.
It’s pretty hard to mess up coffee when it is well roasted and Death Wish seems to have their roasting expertise down to a minute science.
Instead of the pricey Arabica beans, they have chosen the rougher- and more caffeinated Robusta beans. OK, before you get your underwear all in a bunch, it just happens to be that Robusta coffee is excellent in craft cocktails. Especially when they are treated to a long, cold infusion.
For this is why I do what I do. I love to play around with flavors and Death Wish Coffee makes it easy on me.
I’m pretty well known for simplicity in my craft cocktails. This one is no different with only three ingredients plus bitters. That should satisfy even the most hard pressed for time bartender/mixologist. Because if you are ten deep at the bar on any given Saturday night, let me tell you from my own experience that fewer ingredients make a happier bartender!
This cocktail, a take on the classic Manhattan involves a rum that is near and dear to my heart. I use Mezan XO because of the anything but sweet- funky, slightly smoky (bourbon oak cask aged) demeanor. The XO is a combination of rums from four different Jamaican distilleries. The part of the story that speaks most clearly to me involves the rum from Long Pond. Its distinctive flavor stands out as authentic, untouched rum. No caramel, no added sugar, no glycerin, no chill-filtering. Ah, the good stuff.
So I took a healthy portion of the Jamaica XO and added it to a 24-hour infusion of the Death Wish Coffee (It’s usually called cold brewed- I call it slightly insane) and added to a bit of my favorite for a Manhattan of this demeanor, Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth. There is a smoky unctuous quality about Carpano. Perhaps it is the historic recipes that dates back to the 1700’s. I’m not sure- but they did say that Vermouth was originally invented against head lice and stomach worms so it couldn’t hurt you if you use it with rum and coffee.
Underneath Bell’s Crossing
Ingredients:
2 oz. Mezan XO Rum
2 oz. Cold Brewed Death Wish Coffee
2 oz. Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
1 cocktail cherry – better be home cured
3-5 shakes Chocolate Mole’ Bitters
Prep:
Pre-chill double old fashioned glass with ice and water
You see, although Mr. Trump’s New Jersey electorate lost to the Democrats, the resentment towards the overall losing party has never been so clear. Through winning, there is loss. Through loss, there is winning. Perhaps this will act as a metaphor for the next election. Today, I’m voting for cocktails …the Cocktail Party!
If you’d like to join me, here are a few of my favorite post-election cocktails, most of which are infused with cannabis*, the big winner of this year’s election. We can all drink to that!
The World is Bewildered
Need help sleeping tonight? Try this Manhattan-style cocktail.
Ingredients:
1 oz. cold brew coffee
1 oz. Panamanian rum
1 oz. Carpano Antica sweet vermouth or Dolin for a drier approach
orange zest — cut with a knife, never a peeler — pinched and flamed over the top
Regan’s bitters infused with THC
Luxardo Cherry
either a coupe or a rocks glass
To a cocktail mixing glass: Add one or two large cubes of ice. Add the cold brew. Add the Panamanian rum. Add the Carpano Antica. Stir. Season with Regan’s orange bitters, THC infused (note: I used ¼ oz. high grade cannabis- infused for 1 month in a bottle of Regan’s, strained). Taste. Strain into a coupe or rocks glass (if you use a rocks glass, only one or two cubes maximum!). Pinch and flame the orange zest, rub on the rim of the glass and serve.
Welcome to the Visigoths
The last few weeks have been filled with Twitter Flame Wars. It’s your turn to win one (more). This sleepy-tidrink makes light of the rise of the Anti-intellectuals. We know who you are!
Ingredients:
2 oz. Mezan XO rum
½ oz. Stroh 160 rum 80% alcohol
4 oz. cane sugar cola
¼ oz. orange liqueur
To a Collins glass filled ¾ with ice: Add the orange liqueur. Top with the Mezan XO. Cover with the cane sugar cola. Float the Stroh 160 on top; ignite with a match. Add a colorful straw. Serve!
A Long Steep Hill
A cocktail to bewilder the palates of your neo-conservative neighbors.
Ingredients:
2 oz. bourbon whiskey infused with THC to your strength and taste
To a cocktail shaker filled ¾ with ice: Add the cannabis-infused bourbon whiskey. Add the ginger syrup. Add the Fruitations syrup. Cap and shake hard. Pour over ice in a double Old Fashioned glass. Splash seltzer water over the top. Dot with bitters.
The MacGregories
A cocktail to give you hope and dream of change. A take on the gin and juice of yore… and infused with pure THC for your dreams.
Ingredients:
3 oz. THC infused Barr Hill gin (the amount and strength of the THC is up to you. I used 14 grams of 25% THC cannabis in a 750ml bottle of raw honey and grain gin)
To a Boston Shaker filled ¾ with ice: Add the THC-infused gin and the juices with the cranberry syrup. Cap and shake hard for 20 seconds. Pour into a pair of coupes. Dot with bitters. Serve.
AKA: Political Discourse Fails…Yet Again
So you want to win an argument?
Ingredients:
2 oz. Luxardo maraschino liqueur
1 oz. bourbon whiskey (like Barrell Bourbon) infused with THC of your choice and strength
¼ oz. dry vermouth
1 oz. freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1 oz. rich simple syrup
aromatic bitters
Add all the ingredients to a Boston Shaker. Cap and shake hard for 20 seconds or so. Pour into a double Old Fashioned glass with one large cube of ice. Dot with bitters. Serve.
*Infusions
To make a cannabis infusion, add 7 grams — or the dosage recommended by your caregiver—of ground, decarbed cannabis to 250 ml (about 1 cup) of a liquor of your choice in a heat-proof mason jar. Do not seal the jar, it could burst. Place the jar in the top of a double boiler on a hot plate or electric stove top.
(Never, ever use a gas stove or an open flame.) Fill the top of the double boiler with enough water to cover the mason jar halfway.
Simmer lightly at around 160ºF (71°C) for 30 to 60 minutes. Use a digital thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature. Alcohol flames just over 170ºF (77°C), so pay close attention to the job at hand, and don’t go running out for a pizza. Plus, a low heat will keep evaporation to a minimum.
Let the mixture cool, strain it through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth, then funnel it back into the empty liquor bottle. Top up the bottle with the remaining un-infused liquor until it’s back to a volume of 750 ml. This ensures that the THC will be dispersed throughout the infusion. Your infusion is now ready to use in your handcrafted cocktails.
Warren Bobrow, a.k.a. The Cocktail Whisperer, is the author of four books, including his latest: Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails and Tonics.
– See more at: http://thefreshtoast.com/drink/5-post-election-cocktails-need-right-now/#sthash.krGzDYBm.dpuf
Warren Bobrow is a famous marijuana enthusiast and mixologist. These are the two passions of his life, and their mix can only result in something wonderful. His favorite art of spirited drinks is now shown in a cocktail book that contains dozens of recipes. These marijuana-infused drinks impress the audience with their diversity and delicious taste.
His book Cannabis Cocktails, Mocktails & Tonics also contains useful information about the history of the pharmacists of the old times using cannabis-infused tinctures and drinks to treat their patients. In addition, the introduction of the book describes various ways of infusing alcohol, preparing tonics and tinctures to use them in the future for the delicious recipes in the book.
At first, Warren Bobrow creates a large variety of tinctures, oils, milk, and syrups that allow the mixologist to bring the art of cocktail-making to the new levels. For a long time, the man has been trying to find the ideal balance between alcohol and weed.
If you have ever wanted to make a cannabis-infused cocktail, add THC to your Bloody Marry or absinthe, you simply have to read this book for some knowledge and inspiration.
Here are a couple of the author’s recipes that can surely inspire you to read the whole book. If you wonder what cannabis strain to use for these drinks, we can recommend you to experiment a little and try to use the Blueberry strain for the following two drinks. As all indica-dominant hybrid strains, this one will provide you with the necessary relaxation and happiness. This strain adds both sweetness and exotic notes to your marijuana beverage.
Dramatis Personae
Ingredients
15 ml sweet vermouth
15 ml rye whiskey
¼ ounce calvados
4 shakes Creole bitters
infused absinthe
3 shakes aromatic bitters
This is a classic cocktail that comes from New Orleans. However, some of the ingredients that Warren Bobrow uses in his recipe slightly differ from the traditional way, which makes the beverage taste even better.
Before you start mixing the drink, fill a glass with cannabis smoke to enhance the wonderful aroma of your future Dramatis Personae. Then, immediately fill the glass ¾ with ice and add all ingredients except for absinthe. The author then recommends you to stir the ingredients 50 times. Only then you can spritz your drink with cannabis-infused absinthe. The sweet berry flavor of the Blueberry strain will add the necessary sweetness to the drink.
A Bloody Good Remedy
Ingredients:
180 ml chilled tomato-clam mixer
10 ml (2 teaspoons) of cannabis tincture
garnishes (the usual variants include olives, fresh chiles, celery sticks, etc.)
Have you ever tried the famous Bloody Mary before? If it is your favorite drink, we recommend you to read another recipe of Mr. Bobrow that adds a bit of spice to this drink. A Bloody Good Remedy has one special quality that will surprise you—the drink has no alcohol in it. Besides, it is just lightly medicated, so you do not have to worry about overwhelming effects.
You simply have to fill a glass with a lot of ice, pour the tomato-clam mixture into the glass, and add some tincture that you have at home. This recipe allows you to experiment with garnishes—be as creative as you like. Besides, you can add a few blueberries or grapes as a garnish instead of using a berry-flavoured tincture. The combination may seem strange at first, but it is something new for you to try.
All drinks in this book are elegant and full of nuances that can help you understand the mixology a little better. Besides, each one of them, from the simple coffee to complex alcohol drinks, has its own author notes that are full of useful information and present the drink in an ideal way.
Back in the day before we were all born, Mezz Mezzrow was playing jazz clarinet in the normally segregated jazz clubs around the United States. He wasn’t well known, and his history may have escaped all but the most die-hard Jazz aficionados if it wasn’t for one rather large fact.
He was Louis Armstrong’s weed dealer.
In order to properly pay homage to this figure in the Jazz age, who played with Sidney Bechet, (one of my favorite Jazz musicians) I created a cocktail that is featured in my 4th book, Cannabis Cocktails.
The Mezzrole Cocktail
I’m a huge fan of Manhattan-style cocktails; they make great aperitifs. This one is named after Milton “Mezz” Mezzrow, a jazz musician who lived in Harlem in the 1920s. And, as Mezz himself would have known, the term for a well-rolled cannabis cigarette was a “mezzrole”—so I just had to commemorate both man and medicine in this elegant cocktail. It combines cannabis-infused sweet vermouth, handmade cocktail cherries, and quality bourbon into a small, but well-formed, libation that’s deeply healing. When you’re infusing your vermouth, consider choosing a Sativa-Indica hybrid strain called Cherry Pie. It’s redolent of sweet and sour cherries, and it complements the toasty, oaky flavors inherent in the liquors. As for making crushed ice, it’s best to place the ice in a Lewis bag—a heavy canvas bag that’s made for the job—before whacking it with a wooden mallet or rolling pin.
INGREDIENTS
• 4-6 Greenish Cocktail Cherries (we infused Barrell Bourbon with a quantity of Cannabis in an infusion, then soaked Rainier Cherries in the thc infused liquor for a month- hence Greenish Cocktail Cherries)
• 1/2 ounce (15 ml) cannabis-infused vermouth, such as Uncouth Vermouth’s Seasonal Wildflower Blend
• Handful of crushed ice
• 1 ounce (30 ml) bourbon whiskey
• Aromatic bitters
Muddle the Greenish Cocktail Cherries with a wooden muddler or the handle of a wooden spoon, then top with the vermouth. Continue to muddle for 30 seconds to combine the flavors. Cover with the crushed ice. Top with the bourbon, then dot with aromatic bitters. Don’t have two: one should be more than enough. And never more than one per hour!
Shaken, Stirred, Drizzled, Garnished: Beautifully Concocted Cannabis Cocktails
I was playing around with flavors the other day and coffee seemed to resonate more clearly than ever. Maybe it was the recent cold snap, or perhaps it was my palate calling out for deeper, read- more intense flavors. That’s where Death Wish Coffee comes into play. They say that it’s the world’s strongest coffee and I tend to agree with them- as long as I control the brewing method. You see, I’m pretty picky when it comes to strong. I like to do coffee in either a French Press or as a pour-over. Never do I use an automatic machine.
http://thehemponair.com/2016/11/21/the-cocktail-whisperer/
